Rufai Harps On Grassroots Football

A Former Super Eagles goal
keeper, Peter Rufai, has urged state football associations to focus more on discovery and development of talents at the grassroots to keep the sport thriving.
Rufai told newsmen  in Lagos that there was the need for governments and corporate organisations to adequately support the sport to facilitate its growth.
“When talents are groomed and exposed, they will do the country proud in international events,’’ he said.
He appealed to the football associations to organise competitions regularly across local government areas to divert the attention of youths from crimes to sports.
“We need to introduce football to secondary schools; we are endowed with talented boys and girls who can build careers in football and become world champions,” Rufai said.
The ex-goalkeeper appealed to the relevant authorities to provide modern sports facilities to enable Nigerian athletes to train well and compete favourably with their foreign counterparts.
“Poor training facilities affect them because when they go for international competitions, modern   facilities look strange to them,’’ he said.
He advised the youth to build careers in sports and turn away from criminal acts to save their future. On the form of the Super Eagles at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Rufai appealed to football lovers to still believe in the team.
“We should take our minds off the last game (Nigeria versus Iran) and focus on the present. “ I am sure they have found out their mistakes and will correct them in the next game,’’ he said.
Rufai expressed the hope that Nigeria will succeed in the tournament.
Nigeria played a goal-less draw with Iran on June 16 in its opening match in the World Cup.
Many Nigerians are dissatisfied with the performance.
Nigeria will take on Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 21 and Argentina on June 25 in their Group F stage matches.