.….Laments Lack of Playing Fields
Enyimba FC Chairman, Kanu Papilo Nwankwo “FIFA Ambassador” has aduced reasons behind the Nwankwo Kanu U-19 Inter State Football Competition currently ongoing in Abia and Imo State.
Speaking to Journalists at the Training Pitch of Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri behind the main bowl, the Atlanta ’96 Olympic football gold medal winning captain said talents are bound in our communities and reaching them has always been a problem but that the competition will afford clubs in and aroun the area including scouts to fish them out.
“We know that football is very important, it unites the people, it brings joy and it brings peace and at the same time we have a lot of young talented players out there who are difficult to be found”,
“But this Competition is the type that can keep them alert and not only for clubs but for scouts to come around Imo state to see that we have talents around the places and that’s why we started it”, he explained.
Reacting on the brain behind merging teams in Abia and Imo, Papilo as he is fondly called said;
“It used to be Imo before and now you have Imo and Abia, we have the great Heartland FC, Iwuanyanwu National before and we have the Elephants (Enyimba Enyi) and if you look at both of them they tend to lack young players in their team.
“I can remember when I was in school during this kind of Competition organized, people were saying aaah, there is a boy called Kanu “Papilo” go and get him, he is good and then Enyimba and Iwuanyanwu then we’re like fighting for us; Mobi Oparaku, Ekenna Nnadozie, MC, Kanu so on.
“I looked at that all this big teams are no longer looking towards that area. It’s like a prepaid meter or ready-made players they will go and buy forgetting that they can also get Kanu’s and people like that who can do wonders for them, they can save money for them and even make more money through them”,
“I know that when Iwuanyanwu paid for me, I don’t know, is it N2,000 naira or something from school I joined them cause I want to play. At the end of the day played only one or one and half year, I know the kind of money that came to their purse.
“If we can start doing same, I don’t think it’s late. I have a player who’s is playing in Enyimba now, he is the number 10 for the Under 20 and no body believed it and he was in Owerri playing for Papilo Academy, you have more of these players around. When you look at this game (referring to a match involving his pet club at the Nwankwo Kanu U-19 Tourney) for me I have seen a left full back not from my own team and I tell you now that I will go for that left full back and signed him any day”.
In his response to challenges, the former Super Eagles Captain and multiple award winning striker explained that;
“Yeah this is the first edition there must be challenges here and there but the LOC will pick up more for improvement.
“For the boys when there’s this kind of Competition people don’t believe it untill when it starts and they see it’s real and they begin to desire to register. People will begin calling asking if they can register, but when it was kept open they showed little interest. I think we would use this one to learn from it, review what has happened and do more better”,
“But one thing I have observed is lack of playing field, I don’t know what is happening now. There is scarcity of field but I believe the government both in Abia, Imo and other states, have to ensure they can give us the required kind of enabling environment where this kind of tournaments can be held. If that can put on ground, I know that we are talented and we can make the most use of it”, Kanu explained.
Source/Tournament Media/Samson
