FCT WIN NATIONAL U13 CHAMPIONSHIP……..AS 41 MAKE NATIONAL CAM……..COACHES COMMEND NFF……….MAIGARI PLEDGES CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT

FCT WIN NATIONAL U13 CHAMPIONSHIP……..AS 41 MAKE NATIONAL CAM……..COACHES COMMEND NFF……….MAIGARI PLEDGES CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT

The FCT U13 team on Tuesday defeated their Lagos state counterparts 5 -1 to emerge the champions of the 2013 NFF National U13 Championship in Abuja.
The match which was played at the FIFA Goal Project Centre of the Abuja National stadium, witnessed quality exchanges from both teams, but it was the FCT team that had the upper hand scoring five and conceding just once.
Mustapha Abubakar, Ebuka Okeke(2x), Abdulsalam Mohamed and Emmeka Samuel were all on the score sheet for FCT while Hadi Haruna scored Lagos state’s only goal in the match.
Both teams met earlier in the preliminary round and Lagos won that encounter 3-2. Niger state picked up bronze after their third place opponents, team Katsina were disqualified for gross indiscipline during their semi final game which they lost 2-0 to team Lagos.
Certificates and medals were also given to the three best placed teams while Lagos state’s Musa Ali emerged the most valuable player of the tournament and Lawal Olayinka of FCT emerged the best goalkeeper.

41 MAKE CAMP

Meanwhile, the National U-13/U-15 team secretary Wale Adeyinka says 41 players have been picked from the just concluded 2013 NFF National U-13 Championship in Abuja. Adeyinka also added that the selected players would be called to the National U-13 & U-15 team camp by March
” We are pleased with what we’ve seen in the last five days, especially with the fact that majority of the states came with players of the right age brackets, which means grassroots football development is striving in these areas.
Also, we’ve been able to pick 41 players that will have the opportunity to come fight for shirts when the national camp opens in March. “ He stated Eight U-13 teams from, Katsina, Kaduna, FCT, Ogun, Niger, Bauchi, Plateau and Lagos participated in the games.

MAIGARI PLEDGES CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT

In his remark at the closing ceremony of the 2013 NFF national U-13 Championship, the President, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Aminu Maigari, who was represented by NFF board member Alhaji Yusuf Ahmed Fresh , promised continued attention to grassroots football development.

“First let me commend the youth committee for a successful competition and also say that we recognize the fact that football development starts from this level that is the U-13.

We are determined to build on the success recorded in UAE where Nigeria won the FIFA U-17 world cup and majority of those players were discovered from this competition.

We’ll also do everything possible to ensure that these players are exposed both locally and also through
international tournaments like we have been doing in the past.”Maigari assured.

COACHES COMMEND NFF

Coaches at the ongoing 2013 NFF National U-13 Championship in Abuja have commended the Aminu Maigari led NFF board for encouraging football development from the grassroots.

Lagos state U-13 team coach, Shakito Giwa, says the Aminu Maigari led NFF board performed tremendously in the year 2013 and advised they aim for even a better 2014.

“Talking about the NFF, last year was a blessed year for Nigeria football, we won the nations cup, qualified for world cup and won the U-17 world cup. No doubt, there is a tremendous improvement in Nigeria football compared to two or three years ago.
I also want to advise that players picked from this tournament be camped during the holidays and also exposed to international matches.” Coach Giwa said.

Niger State U-13 team head coach, El-shaffee Mohammed says the NFF board is on the right part.

“This is a great developmental programme for our football because, it develops football from the
grassroots. I want to tell you that Niger state has already embraced this competition, right now we have some of our players playing in the National U-17 team and it is through the Organization of the National U-13 Championship.” Elshaffe added.
Similarly.

FCT Coach, Usman Haruna Ilerika, praised the NFF board for its consistency in grassroots football development and urged the football house to expose players picked to international championships.
“I think it is commendable that since 2008, the NFF has consistently turned to the grassroots especially children in primary and secondary schools to get young footballers who can in future do this country proud, but majorly I think the NFF should give the boys more international exposure.” Ilerika advised.

The Chief Coach of Ogun state U-13 team, Femi Bamigboye also joined in praising the NFF.
“Let me be factual with you, the Aminu Maigari led NFF board is doing their best in terms of youth sports development and you can see the results, the Golden Eaglets won the FIFA U-17 world cup, our women teams are qualifying for major competitions, the Super Eagles will be at the world Cup in Brazil, what else could you ask for. Coach Femi added.

LAGOS BATTLE FCT IN 2013 NFF U-13 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

LAGOS BATTLE FCT IN 2013 NFF U-13 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

The stage is now set for a thrilling climax to the 2013 NFF U-13 Football Championship as tournament’s defending champions, FCT, clash with bookies favourites, Lagos, at the FIFA Goal Project Center of the Abuja National Stadium, by 4pm on Tuesday.
In the semi-final matches played on Monday evening, team Lagos beat team Katsina 2-0 in the first semi final match of the day, while team FCT also defeated team Niger 2-0 in the second game, to set the stage for a tough final.

Although Team FCT narrowly lost 2-3 to team Lagos in the preliminary rounds, FCT coach Usman Haruna Ilerica, says fans should expect a different game on Tuesday.
“Team Lagos is a highly technical team and we respect them, but we cannot afford to loss to them again, we lost the first game because some of our boys were screened out and we had to improvise, but now the boys have fully understood their roles and they know what is at stake.” The former national U-13 team coach added.

On his part, the head coach of the Lagos state team, shakito Giwa, says his boys are up to the task.

” This is our first time of participating in this tournament, but we have set a target which is to bring the trophy back to Lagos, but above that we are just happy to showcase our developmental programmes in Lagos state.”

Coach Giwa concluded.

Meanwhile, head of the disciplinary committee of the tournament, Ganiyu Majekodunmi,has revealed that team Katsina have been disqualified from further participating in the championship, over gross indiscipline exhibited by their players during their semi final game against Lagos .

“When players of age 13 start insulting a referee that could be as old as their father, you know there is problem, the boys did not only attack match officials, they were also unruly to their coach.
It is unacceptable, hence their disqualification and further sanctions may still be applied.” Majek revealed.
The third place match billed for 2pm on Tuesday will now be contested by Team Niger and the winner of a playoff match between team Ogun and team Kaduna.

The final match slated for 4pm the same day will determine the 2013 champions Of the NFF U-13 Football Championship.
Also, 25 players would be picked for the national under-13 team camp at the end of the competition by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Abuja comes alive for U-13 boys

Lagos State Under 13 football team

Abuja comes alive for U-13 boys

The national finals of the 2013 NFF U-13 Football Championship will start in Abuja on Friday. It will last for five days.

Organised on zonal basis, the U-13 National Championship is one of the cardinal developmental programmes of the Aminu Maigari administration, and has yielded ample dividends with a number of players in the U-17 squad that won a record fourth FIFA U-17 World Cup for Nigeria last year coming through the ranks.

Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, NFF’s Director of Competitions, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, said all arrangements have been made for the 13 teams from different geo-political zones that have made the final championship to have a good experience in Abuja.

“We have finalised all arrangements to ensure that the organisation is hitch-free, and that all the teams have nothing to complain about.

“This is a very serious programme that has been fruitful and we are determined to take it to the next level,” Sanusi said.

The States qualified for the final championship are Niger, Plateau, Katsina, Kaduna, Lagos, Ogun, Anambra, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Bauchi, Gombe and the Federal Capital Territory.

All the delegations have been directed to report at the FIFA Technical Centre, Package B of National Stadium, Abuja where the matches will also take place.