Joe Erico, is one of the coaches at the programme
About 30 school kids between the ages of 15 and 18 years will be
selected for educational scholarship and football career in the US at
the on-going MTN Football Scholar tournament among secondary schools in
the country.
Speaking with journalists at the Kwara Stadium, venue of the Ilorin
zone of the selection of kids at the weekend, its Programme Coordinator,
Mr. Tom Demaio, an American football expert, said the kids would have
the chance to study in American universities or private football
academy.
He further confirmed that the programme was designed to recruit young
Nigerians and to also further help develop the game in America.
Also speaking at the event, the Technical Director of the programme
sponsored by the MTN, Kunle Raji, said the event was taking place in
seven zones of Ilorin, Port Harcourt, Lagos, Benin, Akure, Abuja and
Enugu.
“Five students are to be picked from the Ilorin zone and it is part of
the overall objective to make them all-round footballers with good
educational background.
"It is because of the lack of what the programme is trying to achieve
now that most of our best footballers without sound educational
background do not make headway in their career. The game and schooling
from JSS through the SSS classes must go along side for a better
tomorrow," stressed Raji.
The technical director revealed that some Nigerian coaches like Joe
Erico, Amusa Adisa and Emmanuel Tetteh were involved in the selection of
the players.
He hinted that some American coaches would arrive the country at the
end of the programme in October to be involved in the final selection of
the player that would travel to the US. Selected students are to be
camped in Lagos and be made to undergo football training and academic
classes that would prepare them for the SAT examination to enter US
universities.
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