By Stephen Benjamin
A football coach, Agada Ode, has urged government and other stakeholders to rehabilitate the Nyanya football pitch to boost youth development and reduce crime.
Ode, Coordinator of Nyanya Football Coaches Society and Technical Head Coach of Zaki Football Academy, Nyanya, Abuja, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.
He said the poor condition of the pitch had disrupted training sessions and exposed players to frequent injuries during matches and practice.
“The major challenge is fixing this football field. The pitch is affecting training and exposing players to injuries,” Ode said.
“No matter the quality of boots players wear, they still fall unnecessarily because of the bad surface,” he added.
He stressed the need for quality synthetic grass to improve safety and enhance player performance during competitions and training sessions.
He commended the former FCT senator, Sen. Philip Aduda, for previous renovation efforts, saying the intervention had improved the facility significantly at the time.
“We appreciate what Aduda did for us, but more support is needed to upgrade the pitch further,” he said.
The coach described the facility as one of the best football pitches within the Nyanya-Keffi axis, hosting several grassroots tournaments over the years.
According to him, the pitch has remained an important platform for engaging youths positively and discouraging their involvement in crime and other social vices.
“With this pitch, we keep youths busy with football and help them stay away from crime and other negative activities,” he said.
He revealed that the academy had produced talented players who progressed to national teams and professional clubs within and outside Nigeria.
“We have produced players who featured for the national teams, including the Under-20 side and the Super Eagles,” he stated.
Ode mentioned players such as Ejeh, popularly called “Kaka,” Daniel Barnabas and Elijah, who played for Rangers International and Gombe United.
Also speaking, the Vice-Captain of Zaki Football Academy, Maurice John, said inadequate equipment was one of the club’s major challenges at the beginning of the season.
“When we started this year, we lacked enough equipment, but management provided balls, cones, bibs and other training materials,” John said.
John expressed optimism about his football career, saying he hoped to play international football within the next few years.
“By God’s grace, I see myself playing abroad soon because some of my teammates are already pursuing football careers overseas,” he said.
The young footballer said he admired Jérémy Doku and hoped to play for Manchester City in the future.
“I support Barcelona and Manchester City, but my dream is to play for Manchester City someday,” John added.
NAN reports that residents and stakeholders continue to advocate for improved sports facilities to support grassroots talents and positively engage young people.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Joseph Edeh
