✕ CLOSE Online Special City News Entrepreneurship Environment Factcheck Everything Woman Home Front Islamic Forum Life Xtra Property Travel & Leisure Viewpoint Vox Pop Women In Business Art and Ideas Bookshelf Labour Law Letters
Click Here To Listen To Trust Radio Live

Nat’l U-15 coach, Ilerika to comb six geo-political zones for football talents

The Head Coach of the National U-15 male football team, Haruna Ilerika Usman has said he intends to go round the six geo-political zones in…

The Head Coach of the National U-15 male football team, Haruna Ilerika Usman has said he intends to go round the six geo-political zones in Nigeria in search of hidden talents.

Speaking to Daily Trust on Monday, the coach said football talents abound in all the nooks and crannies of the country but most times they are not discovered because coaches hardly go to them.

Ilerika who maintained that his own style of screening will be different from that of his predecessors said by the time he is done with his tour of the zones, he would have successfully built a pool of at least 50 top talents for the country.

“In searching for the next national U-15 boys, I am going to apply a different method. I don’t like the idea of concentrating all my efforts in one place.

“It is not possible for all good and young players across the country to come to the FIFA goal project in Abuja. So I will have to go to them.

“My plan is to go to all the six geo-political zones. I will try to visit North-East, North West, South West, South East, South-South and North Central in search of talented youngsters.

“It is common for patients to go in search of doctors but the reverse will be the case for me as I will be the one to go in search of my patients, in this case the players.

“I tell you, Nigeria is blessed with immensely talented players who are hidden and must be discovered and nurtured for the good of the country,” he said.

Ilerika who doubles as the FCT FA Secretary also said having been at the helm of affairs before, he is used to pressure so handling divergent interests when he commences his search for players won’t be a problem.

Consequently, he said his intended trips would only be approved and sponsored by his employer, the Nigeria Football Federation.

“Apart from the NFF, no other person is going to fund my trips. This is to avoid unnecessary demands and pressure from people with personal interests,” he said.

VERIFIED: It is now possible to live in Nigeria and earn salary in US Dollars with premium domains, you can earn as much as $12,000 (₦18 Million).
Click here to start.