As the Rivers State owned Real Madrid Football Academy, Port Harcourt prepares to commence operations, it has been learnt that over 6,000 applications have been received from across the country and beyond by prospective students seeking entry into the world standard institution.
Speaking after a tour of the facility on Sunday by the technical adviser of the Nigerian National Team, the Super Eagles, Gernot Rohr, the Special Assistant to Rivers State Governor on the Academy, Barrister Christopher Green said that he was not in doubt that the institution would produce the best next generation of athletes in the country.
“At the moment, even before the formal invitation for application, the academy has received over 6,000 applications and still counting. This goes to show the quality of the facility the state government has put on ground and how the people have perceived it”, said Barr Green.
The academy project was conceived by Governor Nyesom Wike a little over a year ago and has been built with the technical partnership of Real Madrid Football Club, Spain, with a view to developing football talents and the youths in the state and Nigeria at large.
According to Green, the management of the academy has got one of the best recruitment agents in the world and the teaching model would be different from the usual.
“The Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has passion for football and we are going to combine the game and academics.
It is not our doing, but the Almighty God led Governor Wike to give this to Rivers people and Nigeria in general.
Wike is a miracle worker, not everybody gave him or us a chance, but today we are all living witnesses to what is happening.
I also believe that the next generation of very good athletes would come out of here.
We have gotten one of the best recruitment agents, the teachers and instructors would use different model from others to teach, so that it will be easier to understand” Barrister Green said.
He explained that the academy will run normal school calendar for six years’ programme, adding that the important aspect of the academy is that if anyone could not cope in the sporting area, the person can have another vocation training in other areas like, electrical, automobile, Telecom and other departments.

By: Tonye Orabere