Scouts working for some European clubs, including Manchester United, Manchester City and Stoke City, are in Gombe for a football tournament to harness young Nigerian talents for their clubs.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the tournament is organised by Mailantarki Care Football Academy (MCFA) in collaboration with UDE Sports Management, Lagos, and Gombe states’ Football Association.
Mr Khamisu Mailantarki, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MCFA, in an interview with newsmen at the Pantami Stadium on Monday, said the tournament was to harness football potentials in Northern Nigeria.
Mailantarki said more than 500 youths would be showcased to the scouts to develop them in Gombe and Northern Nigeria.
He said the tournament had gulped over N150 million while the sponsorship is under MCFA and at no cost to the youths.
He said majority of Nigerian players in European leagues and the national team are from the Southern part of the country, saying the talents in the north are not well harnessed.
“This is an opportunity to raise talents in the likes of Rashidi Yekini, Daniel Amokachi, Tijani Babangida and Ahmed Musa,” he said.
The chairman said the determination to succeed in the quest led to the partnership with UDE Sports, stressing that UDE Sports had been involved in the transfer of over 100 Nigerian players to Europe.
He commended Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe state for laying good leadership foundation that has sustained peaceful coexistence in the state.
According to him, the tournament is being held in Gombe because of the peace in the state.
Mr Uche Egbukwu, Chief Executive Officer of UDE Sports Management, said he was invited to help showcase Northern youths to European clubs through his scouting outfit.
Egbukwu said scouting remains a key to harnessing young talents that could turn their potentials to greatness through football.
“I have been involved in the successful transfer of over 75 Nigerian players to different European clubs.
“Players like Vincent Enyeama, Victor Osimhen, Obafemi Martins, Kenneth Omeruo, Obinna Nwaneri, Nwakwali and Wilfred Ndidi are examples.
“If you deny these youths this platform, they will fall into the hands of fake scouts,” he said.
Egbukwu said that over 1,000 Nigerian players had been duped by fake scouts under the pretence of taking them to European clubs.
He said the documentation and paper works of players that would pass the scout test would be concluded before December and they would be out of the country latest January, 2022.
Mr Basil Kabbani, the leader of the scouting team from Manchester, England, said they were in the state to look for the best of Nigerian talents and take them to Europe.
Kabbani said the young players would be trained with the modern technology that has not been used in the history of scouting in the country.
He said the players would be put through physical, psychological, tactical and technical tests to ensure that their stamina and speed are good for football.
According to him, the Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking, stamina, spring and catapult technology which would be used during the five-day event would be the first of its kind in Nigeria.
Kabbani said Nigeria has “unbelievable” talents which when harnessed properly could give the right platform for players to play in Europe.
He advised young players to have the right mentality and jettison putting money ahead of their career in order not go into the wrong clubs.
“We are here to nurture the players and make sure they have the right clubs and the right mentality to develop themselves and become world class,” he said. (NAN)
