Ondo FA/FCAAN train 100 grassroots coaches in Southwest
By Akintunde Jacobs, Akure
Ondo State Football Association (ODSFA) in conjunction with Football Coaches Association of African Nations (FCAAN) has trained 100 coaches without certificates across the six states of Southwest states of Nigeria.
Nigerian NewsDirect reports that 75 coaches were drawn from all the 18 local government of Ondo state and five each from other southwest states if Osun,Ogun, Ekiti, Lagos and Oyo States to make it 100.
Otunba Dele Ajayi, Chairman of Ondo State Football Association during the event said that he believed that the training would produce future Super Eagles Coach and era of hiring foreign coaches could be phased out.
Ajayi, who noted that what the current executives of the football association in the state had achieved in the last nine months had superseded the past eight years’ achievement, said that the association would continue to develop the round leather game.
Ajayi said the training would be a continuous one, as the training was organised for those without certificates and were being referred to as ‘coachitos’ and had been turned to coaches with the training.
The Chairman said he believed that the training would produce national coaches and national players in the nearest future.
Ajayi added that the training would elevate young coaches and it will also create employment for the youth.
“The training will not be a one-off programme, we will continue to train and retrain our coaches, this is grade (F) God willing next year, it will be grade (E).”
He charged the coaches to go back to their various local governments to showcase the knowledge they have acquired.
“Go back home, go and discover fresh talents with the pool of knowledge impacted on you can turn things around for good in your profession,” he said.
He later appreciated his the 1st Vice Chairman of The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for the support and words of encouragement on the programme.
The Director of FCAAN Coaches Education and the Training Chief Instructor, Mr Henry Abiodun while commending the Ondo State FA urged the coaches not to wait for the time they will have a club, saying they could start with a player.
Abiodun admonished them to go all out to practicalize what they had learnt, adding that failure to put it in practice would be tantamount to waste of time.
“They should build on the knowledge acquired here, because knowledge is power, the coaches should also transfer the knowledge to other coaches in the communities as well the players,”he said.
The General Manager of the State Sports Council, Mr Henry Babatunde lauded the organisers for the giant step they have taken in raising the bar of the game in the state.
One of the trained Coaches from Ekiti, Mr Oluwatayo Adegolu commended Ondo State FA for extending invitation to other states for the training.
“We have learnt a lot today, the training was an eye opener. While coming we thought we are just coming here for fun, but I must confess that we are convinced beyond reasonable doubt.
“We are now loaded with more information on the job, it has built our confidence as young coaches.
“We appeal to the Ondo State Football Association that they should also extend invitation to us next year,” he said.
