Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Vice President, Shehu Dikko has commended the brains behind the maiden FCT Secondary School Football Tournament.
The former Chairman of defunct League Management Committee who doubles as the Chairman of the event held on Saturday at the Waldorf Knoll Academy Football pitch, Jabi, Abuja encouraged other States across the country to put such grassroots football tournament involving young boys for the development of the game.
Speaking at the event, Dikko said, “Grassroots football is the way for us to go. We have to connect with our schools because the kids that play at that level whether U13, U15, U16 or whatever, the first thing is to make sure that they are of school age. That is the best connection and we must make sure that we include schools within that framework so that we can get success and proper records for these boys and follow up with them so that they develop and reach the level they want to reach at the the U17, U20, national teams, clubs and a couple of them.
“I think we have to encourage this kind of competition. All schools should be encouraged to organise what we have seen here today. It could be annually, quarterly or what have you and prepare these kids for the future. These are truly young players who only played for fun but showed great football artistry and display.
“I have seen a lot of good players with bright futures and I have told the schools involved that they should keep eyes on them and even some of our colleagues who are involved in managing players because, in the next one or two years, some of these boys will be really up there,” Dikko who was also a former chairman of the defunct League Management Company (LMC), said.
At the end of hostilities, the host, Waldorf Knoll Academy, emerged as champions defeating HHH Foundation School by 2 goals to nothing during an entertaining and thrilling final.
Hussaini Yahaya of Aduvie International School emerged as the Most Valuable Player (MVP), Yasir Yusuf of HHH Foundation School got the best goalkeeper award while Moses Yakubu of Waldorf Knoll Academy was the highest goal scorer with four goals.
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