The Chairman of Enugu State Football Association, Tony Ugwu has commended the Coal City Football Legends for organising the second edition of Under-18, boys football tournament in Enugu.
Ugwu made the commendation while speaking to Journalists after the Final of the tournament played at the Enugu Rangers training pitch.
He said that the tournament organised by the legends was part of the programmes lined by the state FA to rejuvenate youths football in the state.
“We want to thank coal city legends for finding it expedient to organise this grassroots tournament.
“What they have just done is under the Enugu State FA development programme; so, we appreciate them for buying into the programme, ” Ugwu said.
The chairman said that apart from the under-18, the FA was also working on the under-15 football prigrammes.
He said that the Enugu State Football Association was moving down to the three senatorial districts to fish out hidden talents from all nook and crannies of the state.
“Now, we want to move out of Enugu city and go to the grassroots to see how we can develop football in the rural areas.
“All that we are doing here, all the competitions that we are doing here, we want to take to other zones and see if we can develop football in all parts of the state, ” he said.According to him, the association has entered into synergy with the State Ministry of Sports on revitalising school sports in the state.
“Currently, there is a synergy between the FA and Enugu State Ministry of youths and sports to reintroduce schools soccer competitions in all the secondary schools in the state.
“It is in the pipeline, some other zones have already started it, I know for Nsukka they just finished the U-13 for primary schools in the zone and they are now moving to secondary schools, ” Ugwu said.
Speaking, the President of Coal City Football legends, Emma Okocha, a former Rangers player, said the idea was to encourage the youths maximize their talents.
“It is a way of encouraging the youths, making them to understand, trying to help them maximize their talents and to identify those who are good to take their game to different level so to say, ” he said.
The former Super Eagles player, who is now a football agent said the legends would be organising the tournament annually if necessary things were put in place.
“We want to be doing it yearly with support from government, companies, individuals, philanthropists and a whole lot of others, ” he said.
According to him, the legends, founded by John Ikemefuna, a former player, comprised of past footballers who grew up playing football in Enugu but have retired from active service.
in the final Match which featured Asata United and Early Stars Academy, Independence Layout, Enugu, Asata United won by 4-3 on penalties.
The winners went home with N250,000 while the second place went home with N200,000
The third and fourth teams went home with N150,000 and N100,000 respectively.
Enugu FA chairman commends Coal city football legends over U-18 boys football tournament
