The Head Coach of Diamond Football Academy of Port Harcourt, Ben Peters, has appealed to the Rivers State Government to include grassroots football coaches in the state  budget yearly.
He disclosed that,  almost all the grassroots football coaches were suffering  because they were spending their time and money on the youth by bringing them into the football world.
Peters, who is popularly called, “Coach Nanaa,” made  the appealed on Wednesday in an exclusive interview with Tidesports just after the Bright Stars football academy defeated his boys 3-0 at the ongoing Sir P Under-13 football competition, at the Rumuwoji football pitch in Port Harcourt.
He stated that, as grassroots coaches,  what they were doing was to see how they can cut off the youth from restiveness and become useful to the society.
“ What we are doing as grassroots coaches is to see how we can get the children out of the street and they become useful to society.
We need the presence of the government, by including the grassroots football coaches in their budget yearly; that will further motivate us to carry out our duty efficiently.
As growing children, they need our support and advice.
We spend our time and money on these children because when they were not energized, they  are bound to involve themselves in different activities that will not yield good results.
The government  itself is not trying, almost all the grassroots coaches are suffering.
Coach Nanaa, who was also head  coach of the disbanded Eleme United FC, further explained that, grassroots football academy is dying  because of lack of sponsorship.
“We need sponsorship  in the grassroots team, because today, a lot have gained from the system,” he said.

By: Kiadum Edookor