Two leading Nigeria Professional Football League sides, Plateau United and Wikki Tourists of Bauchi have poured praises on organisers of the maiden edition of the Katsina State Governor, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari’s Pre-season football tournament.
The tournament which kicked-off on October 29 is organized and sponsored by the Katsina Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Hon. Sani Aliyu Danlami.
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Professional and amateur clubs like reigning NPFL champions, Plateau United, Katsina United, Wikki Tourists, Niger Tornadoes, Gombe United, Sokoto United, Zamfara United as well as Katsina based clubs like Garkuwa United, Dan’Buram United and Rarara Academy are taking part in the pre-season tournament.
The Head Coach of Plateau United, Abdul Maikaba has praised the organizers of the Tournament for putting up a hitch free tourney even in its very maiden edition.
He said “Governor Masari Pre-season Tournament is a very good competition and one of the best in Nigeria. It has been well organized and I think it should become an annual tournament.
“I have seen so many talented players who can go places. We are also very happy about the introduction of some teams from the grassroots in the tournament,” he said.
Speaking in the same vein, Wikki Tourists Technical Adviser, Usman Abd’Allah Sharrif, said such pre-season tournaments usually give the teams the opportunity to identify lapses to be able to correct them ahead of the major competition.
“I am very impressed with the initiative. It is fantastic that within a very short time, they were able to organize this tournament and set it up. I hope by next year, they would have gained some experience in this and if possible, the whole nation will be coming for Masari’s cup next year,” he said.
In a chat with Daily Trust, the sponsor of the tournament, Hon. Danlami said the objective of the tournament is to foster unity amongst the participants, promising that it will be expanded to cover more teams from all parts of the country.
“It will also give our home based players the opportunity to learn from their senior colleagues as well as provide them with windows of opportunity to be signed by other clubs in the country,” he said.
The tournament holding at the Muhammdu Dikko stadium is expected to end November 7 with the presentation of trophies and prizes to winners.
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