FORMER Super Falcons midfielder is happy that her efforts on Maureen Mmadu’s Kiddies Club (MMKC), her female football project are paying off now.
Speaking in Lagos, where the team had been camping in readiness for an international engagement, the former assistant coach to the Super Falcons, said she has a crop of girls that will do the country proud.
“It’s been a tough journey, but I can tell you that I have great players in my team. We have come a long way together and we are nearing the goal line.”
She noted that the team will be traveling to Morocco soon for an invitational tournament.
This comes as a huge relief to the young girls after the frustrating disappointment of not being able to participate in the concluded Dana Cup Invitational Tournament in Denmark last month on account of last-minute visa denial by the Danish Embassy despite meeting all visa application requirements.
“We’ve to give God all the glory that after we were denied visa by the Danish Embassy so we could not make the trip to Denmark for the Dana Cup, we are now traveling to Morocco for a playing tour”, Maureen Mmadu pleasantly disclosed to all.
“To say the girls and their parents, not even me as a person, were disappointed by the Danish Embassy’s action, is an understatement.
“The organizers of the Dana Cup were also disappointed that we couldn’t make the trip on account of the Embassy action.
“We’ve been issued with visas. It’s a welcome development, a big relief to the girls and their parents. It turned out a moment of jubilation in the camp when the visas were procured and I showed them to them.
“They hugged me and joyful emotion took over. We can’t thank God enough. He made it possible, whipping tears off the eyes of these wonderful kids. Truly, when one door closes, God opens another one,” added Mmadu.
“We have 18 players that would have participated in the Dana Cup, plus one, making 19.”
The team returned to base today from Lagos where they had opened a one-week concentration camp at the Nigerian Institute for Sports, NIS, Lagos, ahead of the botched Denmark trip.
“The players are on a one-week break immediately we returned home on Sunday.
“They needed it to cool down their nerves after the trauma they have had to go through.
Mmadu said running the club has been a huge financial commitment on her part.
“Where do I start, is it from the daily expenses while we were in Lagos?
“We spend about N9, 000 daily to cook for the team. Remember we were there for a month or more. And, of course, there are other sundry expenses given the fact that they are very young players, girls for that matter. You understand what I mean.
“This is outside accommodation bill for the period. But in all, I really thank God for making it possible for us to get this (Morocco trip) opportunity.”