Coaches’ return to class for 4th NPFL-La Liga coaching clinic

By Andrew Abah, Abuja

Nigeria youth coaches across the country have returned to class as the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare declared the 4th edition of the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) La-Liga coaching clinic opened, while charging the participants to make best use of this opportunity at improving themselves.

The five-day coaching clinic is designed to train youth coaches on how to develop and manage young talents using the La-Liga training,  and the minister who was represented by his media assistant, Kola Daniel, said he is passionate about the programme to keep the youths off the streets.

He applauded the League Management Committee (LMC), for staging the coaching clinic annually in the last four years.

“The core mandate of the Ministry is youth development and I am passionate to know that the youths are being taken off the streets through this programme.

“I thank the LMC and La Liga for putting this event together and I implore the coaches the grab the opportunities with two hands to prove their presence in this training,” he said.

Speaking earlier, LMC chairman, Shehu Dikko, said over 300 Nigerian youth coaches who have passed through clinic since inception four year ago have contributed immensely to the development of Nigerian football.

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“Every club in NPFL has benefited from the training, saying Coach Salisu Yusuf of Enugu Rangers, Abdul Maikaba of Plateau United, Super Eagles assistant coach, Imama Amapakabo and Kenneth Boboye of Akwa United were the set first of Nigerian coaches to undergone the training. I commend the Minister of Sports for his support and encouragement for this programme,” Dikko added.

For the La Liga Country Director in Nigeria, Guillermo Pérez Castelló, La Liga is passionate about development of football at grassroots level in Nigeria.

“This is a follow up from the success of the first three editions. The agreement we signed earlier was for three-year but we decided to 4th edition because of the success of the programme,” said Castelló.