Great Expectations, Stakeholders Target Better Outing In 2012

As 2011 wind down this weekend, many grassroots club owners, football organisers and other stakeholders in grassroots football say they are looking forward to a better outing in year 2012.

The outgoing year witnessed a lot of grassroots soccer tournaments but stakeholders in the game projected that 2012 would be another eventful year for the game in the country.

Many stakeholders belive that 2012 cannot be a dull year as organisers are planning to organise more football competitions that will keep the youth busy in the New Year.

It is projected that since the Super Eagles of Nigeria failed to qualify for next year ‘s Africa Cup of Nations slated for Equatorial Guinea &Gabon, next year, attention will be shifted to grassroots football tourneys where local coaches would scout for young talents that can replace the tired legs in the national teams.

Following the disaster that befell Nigerian football in this outgoing year, Nigerians have advised the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, to focus more on developmental programmes if the two-time Africa Cup of Nation champions want to get good result in the coming year.

Therefore, many clubs have started preparing for Lagos Challenge Cup and other high profile football competitions that will hold next year .

And to have good outings in 2012, most club owners said they have lined up series of friendly matches to prepare their team ahead of the competitions.

Team Manager of Handsworth FC, Tajudeen Olasukanmi, told GSG that he will start early preparation ahead of next year’s Ogun State Challenge Cup. Olasukanmi said his team will be fully prepared in order to have a good outing in the state FA Cup.

“Most of the players that won the Ogun FA Cup for us in last edition have left the club, so there is need for the club management to bring in new players to fortify the team. We are going to next year’s Ogun FA Cup to defend the title,” he said.

Some of the high profile football competitions that are expected to hold next year are Boska Cup, PWF Cup, Lagos Speaker’s Cup, Mamora Cup, Abesan Cup, MAF Cup and Lagos Principal Cup, among others .

—Sunday Akintoye