TALENT HUNT: John Obuh Lauds Hon. Idimogu Over Grassroot Football Development

John Obuh, Technical Director, AS Roma Football Academy has lauded the football talent hunt of Hon. Jude Chukwuemeka Idimogu, Member, Lagos State House of Assembly organised for development of football talent of the youth in Oshodi/Isolo Constituency II.

The former coach of Nigeria’s under 17 and 20 gave the encomium on the second day of the selection process where 30 players have been selected for further screening on the third day to streamline them to sizeable numbers that will taken to Abuja for further drilling in football.

Obuh who has coached 9 Nigerian local clubs, said he had never met Hon. Idimogu before even as he said that he received a call to come over and see how he can assist the youth of the constituency to improve in their football skills.

He added that any of the players who succeeds in further trials and falls within the normal age range, may be taken to Italy.

His words, “Hon Jude Idimogu has shown he loves football so much, felt like supporting the youths of his Constituency, and then he invited us over to come and look at the children here in thier football skills, to see how we can assist them improve from where they are to the next level of thier career, he felt it’s very important we come and look at them, that is exactly why we are here.

“We have been able to pick some names, you know what screening is all about when you come out in a trial like this.

“We have come, we have been looking at them since yesterday, we have finished looking at them today, we have compiled a number of them, and tomorrow Wednesday the selected once will play among themselves.

“And then we take our last decision, it’s still a very long process because by the time we finish, the ones we have been able to pencil town would be developed, those are the ones that have the talent we are looking for, we will invite them to Abuja, and they will come for further trials, we will look at them with the ones we have.

“We look at them from thier age groups, at the end we will be able to come up with the final selection. Before we start the training and preparing them for every other activities of AS ROMA which includes taking them abroad where they will be.

” Am so impressed by what this Honourable’ member is doing. Hardly you well see this kind of personality investing in human development of this nature and magnitude.

“I cannot count how many places we have gone on this kind of talent hunt.

I don’t know him from Adams. It was just an introduction of me to him, and then he called me to tell me how he has been following me and how he believed we can help him achieve his heart desire for the children of his Constituency.

Also speaking, Rollens Adakosa, President, AS Roma Academy, Abuja also praised the initiative of the Lagos Assembly member saying a lot of politicians do not have the mind of giving back to the community.

He explained that the academy will offer the players the right platform to express their talents locally and abroad

“I want to first of all commend Hon. Jude Idimogu for what he has done so far because we see a lot of politicians who have not given youths such platform.

“Hon. Jude Idimogu invited AS Roma to come for a talent hunt because he wants to give back to the community.

He invited us to see what the boys have and to empower them through football because we all know that football is a multi million dollars business now.

“The assessment so far is awesome but there is a limit we can go but we have some good prospects here and we are looking forward for them to join us in Abuja to start with.

“With what he has started doing, we can see that he has the youths in mind and with this kind of support, great number of the youths will be empowered.

“AS Roma will be travelling during the Easter holiday where all the academies across the world will come and play against themselves,” he submitted.

Emmanuel Ugochi, one of the constituency youths who participated in the trials told our correspondent that the screening was devoid of tribalism and politics saying the process was open

“The way I see this program is that it is very well organised. The organisers have tried their best to make sure that everything is in order and have made it open

“It is without sentiment, no tribalism and there is no politics in it. I believe it will impact on me positively to help me achieve my dream because i am optimistic that I will do better in this area.

Godwin Ezekiel, a 17 year old participant stated that the screening was fair.

He noted that be had been to several football screening competitions within and outside Lagos saying he had to part with money and despite that, he was not selected.

He said the one he attended was free and fair and open to all because there is no bribing anyone to make the list or before one is allowed to participate in the screening.

“I got a call last night informing me of this selection here today. Am grateful to the Honourable that has put this together even though I don’t know him, God will repay him immensely,”

By Kachi Victor