|
Listen now
|
Kwara State Football Association Chairman, Idris Abdullahi Musa, has restated his regrets that Kwara State was not represented in the soccer event at the just concluded National Youth Games in Asaba Delta State, vowing that the soccer ruling body in the state would now undertake to sponsor them if the Kwara State Sports Commission, KSC, fail to do so.
Football was dropped by KSC from attending the games in Asaba, despite the state being the defending champion. Coach Bola Mogaji, had cited paucity of funds while also insisting that the soccer medal is just one like every other games even though it carries with far larger numbers of athletes which the commission couldn’t cater for.
But Thuraya, while speaking as the guest of the second edition of Sports Hard Talk, a news platform created by the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, Kwara State chapter to harvest sports news and exploiting value chains associated with sports news, disagreed intensely with Mogaji’s reasons for dropping football.
Kwara came fifth at the medals table at the NYG and soccer buffs believed that soccer would have added additional laurels to the log, improving the state’s standing. “Kwara State before the games in Asaba was the defending champion. Our preparation has been top notch; platforms like the youth games offer transition from grassroots sports development to elite sports which is where the big benefits start coming for the players, his coaches and his state,” Thuraya said.
According to the FA boss, a single gold medal from football has a multiplier effect in terms of sports business.
“Imagine what it’s like discovering just two talents at the NYG and taking them to Europe,” asked Thuraya, rhetorically.
Alhaji Musa’s coming to FA as chairman has introduced a more business-like approach to soccer administration in Kwara, especially in the areas of grassroots penetration.
“FIFA recognizes grassroots soccer development, administration more than what we do at the state and at the national level, which was why we needed to democratize it.
“This has encouraged more corporate interest in grassroots soccer promotion than before,” said Thuraya.
All the efforts, according to him, will amount to nothing if players don’t go to big stages like NYG to showcase their skills for scouts to see.