Coach Canvases For Grassroots Football Dev

The Head Coach of Urime Football Club of Port Harcourt, Lucky Batubo has said that grassroots football in Rivers State was not given proper attention.
He stated that best way to promote and develop grassroots football is to organise different age grade competition.
Batubo made the assertion, in an exclusive interview with Tidesports, yesterday  after a training session at number one field,  Old Port Harcourt township.
“In term of grassroots football development in Nigeria, Rivers State is not part, but Lagos, Edo, Delta and other few states are actually doing well.
We are trying in Rivers State but we are not there yet” Batubo stated.
According to him, in 1980s there were a lots of tournaments of different age grades.
“In my days in school we used to play shell cup and you see every student  very busy to partake in the competition. But  today you hardly see Competition of that kind” he said.
He equally said that more attention should be given to grassroots football, by organising different  age grade Competitions among the youth.
” If that happened they will not have time to involve themselves into negative activities” he stated.
Coach Batubo noted that, the only excited competition in the state is the FA Cup and the League Competition, saying that, how would the U 12-13 grow in the leather game when they lack tournament.
“Grassroots football is dying everyday because after training no competition for them to showcase their talent” he narrated.

By: Kiadum Edookor