. . . Scouts praise talents on display in Anambra, pick 16 for football deals abroad
By Chinecherem Efobi and Obinna Dike
DOSAD, the sports department of the Catholic Diocese of Awka, alongside her investment partners, recently concluded a power-packed football scouting programme at Neros Stadium Nanka, Anambra State. The football event was held from October 15 to 18, 2019. The pre tournaments to the Nanka finals held across the South East/South earlier in October.
Three European football scouts and intermediaries were on ground to assess and select players for genuine football deals. They included international multi-based Mr Bang Sengue, Camerounian by origin, citizen of many European states, and whose football links span across the world. Bang is the intermediary of so many international players.
Another visiting scout to the programme was Mr Maciej Giwer, a Polish citizen, club top executive and internationally acclaimed football intermediary, through whom many players are plying their trade in good clubs in Europe. The third intermediary to the Nanka programme was Mr Maxim Chernov, a Russian citizen, celebrated player scout and intermediary. Maxim consults for a plethora of clubs in his native Russia and Europe at large.
The Nanka scouting tournament kicked off with ten teams and clubs that qualified from the pre tournament screening. The ten teams which qualified players were divided into included DOSAD Football Academy Enugwu Ukwu, Awka Diocese, KON United FC, Family Love FC, CADA FC and Mobility FC. Others were DACA FC, Ozalla FA, Dynamic Sport Club, St Anthony’s FC and Right 2 Win FC. These players and teams were made up of players drawn from over 38 club partners of DOSAD Sports.
The teams were broken into two groups of five teams each, with each team in a group playing against each other in round robbin format. DOSAD FA topped their group, winning all their matches. Family Love came up tops in their own group, winning all but one of their matches which they drew. The scouts selected thirty six players from the ten teams to form two All Stars teams. From these All Star teams, the scouts picked the final sixteen outstanding players to commence the processes for their foreign sojourn.
The finally selected players with the team names they used at the tournament were Shedrack Charles (Mobility), Ipalibo Sobere (Family Love), Francis Benneth (Right 2 Win), German Onyeka (DACA), Jude Nwankwo (KON), Precious Ezechukwuma (DOSAD), Yusuf Usman (Family Love), Izuogu Samson (DACA), Sunday Kalu (Right 2 Win), and Victor Osuagwu (Ozalla). Others included Onyema Henry (DACA), Romanus Chinonso (CADA), Oluebube Onuoha (Right 2 Win), Chima Osili (Ozalla), Chukwudi Igbokwe (Right 2 Win), and Ifeanyi Mbadiwe (Family Love).
Speaking to FIDES, the scouts Bang, Maciej, Maxim and their local agents, expressed appreciation to their host DOSAD Sports, and the Catholic Diocese of Awka for their awesome hospitality. They praised the Anambra state government for having a secure state. They singled out DOSAD Sports for her expansive football development programme, and said they were happy seeing great football talents down here in Anambra.
In the words of the team leader Bang on the scouting program, “it was good organization, very professional. We are thankful to our Nigerian friends and their warm welcoming of people from Anambra region, and also to the Catholic Church of Awka City. We wish to return back this warm friendship by some good actions by the grace of God. May the Lord give us direction” he said. Bang further urged the players to put up similar performances up there when invited to be able to create good impression about football here in Anambra, as well make good money as well for themselves and their investors. Both Maciej and Maxim expressed great pleasure about the program. They assured that they will put in all their possible efforts to get selected players sign good contracts.
Addressing the gathering of scouts, players, officials and DOSAD partners, the Director of DOSAD, Rev Fr Obinna Dike (alongside his colleagues Rev Frs Damian Ogwatta,TM DOSAD FA, Christian Umeojilinnaka, Sec, Evaristus Ezekwonna, Camp Commandant), conveyed the good will of the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev Paulinus Ezeokafor, (the hosting bishop), to all the teams, scouts and officials. Fr Dike assured teams that the Church would always invest in youth development according to her capacity, and appreciated Awka Diocese in particular, as well as other investors in DOSAD Sports programmes for their belief in DOSAD. He thanked his priest colleagues, DOSAD partners and staff, including the Media for their commitment within the period.
To the scouts and their intermediary escorts, Fr Dike was full of thanks for their kind dispositions, especially those coming to Nigeria for the very first time. He thanked them for believing in Nigerian players and assuring DOSAD of good players’ enterprise. The scouts have already begun the negotiations for the selected players who would all be moved through DOSAD Football Academy/Club platforms as their players’ primary club.
