I am here to restore football’s lost glory - Odey
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- Category: Sports
- Written by Ibraheem A. Fatai
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Mr Paul Odey is the Chief Coach at the Kwara Football Academy in Ilorin, who has successfully handled top Nigerian clubs in the past before venturing into the not so lucrative business soccer academy. Recently he spoke to Trustsports on what informed his decision to go into teaching kids the rudiments of playing football, the challenges and how Nigeria can regain her lost glory in football. Excerpts:
What informed your decision to work for to the Kwara Football Academy, instead of a club?I have always been a firm advocate of developmental football. While I was in Lagos, I heard of the Kwara Football Academy project and that the former Super Eagles handler, Clemence Westerholf was involved. So, I couldn’t resist coming down to Ilorin to be part of the football revolution.
What do you think is the major problem bedevilling Nigerian football?
Deviation from developmental football by our administrators is the major problem. We no longer pay attention to grassroots football, making it difficult for us to discover great talents that abound in the country.
I believe that to return football to what it used to be in this country, we have to go back to developmental football. Gone are the days when most of the players discovered were very young. Players like Thompson Oliha were playing for Bendel Insurance while he was in secondary school. He was discovered during school games.
For many years now we have been searching for another Rashidi Yekini, but we have not succeeded. We have been looking for reliable defenders like Stephen Keshi and Uche Okechukwu, we have not found. Amunike is gone, so is Okocha, but nobody to replace them. This thing cannot be allowed to continue. Somebody has to sacrifice to ensure that the glory of Nigerian football is restored and that is why I am here.
How challenging has it been like working for an academy?
It is very daunting. At the beginning, a lot of us were involved in this project. Then we had Moses Kpakor, Alloy Agu and others, but at a time some of them left and since then it has been an uphill task to cope with the enormity of the challenges.
There was a time when I had to take it upon myself to persuade Clemence Westerhof to come down to stay with us here in Ilorin, because I believe that his name will help the academy in many ways.
When came down to this place, everywhere was bushy and full of dangerous animals, but we remain undaunted to continue with the project and the result is there for everybody to see.
What is the level of involvement by Governor Bukola Saraki administration to the academy?
The governor is very much supportive and holds the project very close to his heart. He has invested millions of naira into the project and he is very much interested in seeing the project succeed. The governor talks about the project every da, his commitment to the project has not changed at all.
Articles
I am here to restore football’s lost glory - Odey
Category: Sports Written by Ibraheem A. Fatai Hits: 647
Mr Paul Odey is the Chief Coach at the Kwara Football Academy in Ilorin, who has successfully handled top Nigerian clubs in the past before venturing into the not so lucrative business soccer academy. Recently he spoke to Trustsports on what informed his decision to go into teaching kids the rudiments of playing football, the challenges and how Nigeria can regain her lost glory in football. Excerpts:
What informed your decision to work for to the Kwara Football Academy, instead of a club?I have always been a firm advocate of developmental football. While I was in Lagos, I heard of the Kwara Football Academy project and that the former Super Eagles handler, Clemence Westerholf was involved. So, I couldn’t resist coming down to Ilorin to be part of the football revolution.
What do you think is the major problem bedevilling Nigerian football?
Deviation from developmental football by our administrators is the major problem. We no longer pay attention to grassroots football, making it difficult for us to discover great talents that abound in the country.
I believe that to return football to what it used to be in this country, we have to go back to developmental football. Gone are the days when most of the players discovered were very young. Players like Thompson Oliha were playing for Bendel Insurance while he was in secondary school. He was discovered during school games.
For many years now we have been searching for another Rashidi Yekini, but we have not succeeded. We have been looking for reliable defenders like Stephen Keshi and Uche Okechukwu, we have not found. Amunike is gone, so is Okocha, but nobody to replace them. This thing cannot be allowed to continue. Somebody has to sacrifice to ensure that the glory of Nigerian football is restored and that is why I am here.
How challenging has it been like working for an academy?
It is very daunting. At the beginning, a lot of us were involved in this project. Then we had Moses Kpakor, Alloy Agu and others, but at a time some of them left and since then it has been an uphill task to cope with the enormity of the challenges.
There was a time when I had to take it upon myself to persuade Clemence Westerhof to come down to stay with us here in Ilorin, because I believe that his name will help the academy in many ways.
When came down to this place, everywhere was bushy and full of dangerous animals, but we remain undaunted to continue with the project and the result is there for everybody to see.
What is the level of involvement by Governor Bukola Saraki administration to the academy?
The governor is very much supportive and holds the project very close to his heart. He has invested millions of naira into the project and he is very much interested in seeing the project succeed. The governor talks about the project every da, his commitment to the project has not changed at all.