Femi Atolagbe
The Ondo State Football Association has urged members of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) in the state to support its various programmes.
The Chairman of the Association, Otunba Dele Ajayi stated this during a media parley organised by Ondo SWAN.
Ajayi, who was the special guest at the programme, said sport writers are important to every programme and vision of the FA in the state.
We can move the state forward, we can discover talents together, during the next three years, I want to have at least three players in national team, he stated.
“We have a young player who was discovered in one of our programmes in Cyprus.
“I don’t sell players, I don’t own players, we only create platforms for them to excel and showcase their talents.
“I need your support to succeed in the remaining three years and three months of my mandate, we can discover talents together. We are not Mr know all, you can call our attention to issues that promote development anytime,” he said.
Ajayi also revealed that the state FA could not go into the school sports competition because it was placed under the ministry of education, but had been training coaches from the secondary school to help develop potential talents there.
The chairman revealed that sponsors would soon be unveiled for the planed state league next year as the 18 local government would be bubbling with football activities.
On the Super Eagles, he lamented the inconsistency that had made the team not having regular 11 players while featuring over 50 players in five years, but believed that the Super Eagles new Coach, Austin Eguavoen would do well as he had been in the system before his appointment.
He urged the support of all Nigerians to make Equavoen succeed with the team.
The chairman advised sport writers to get involved in the administration of football starting from the grassroots level.
He also said that he will support any programme put up by the sports writers in the state as they are partners in progress.
The Chairman of SWAN in the state, Wahab Bankole appreciated Ajayi for honouring invitation of members and for sharing his experience over the years in the administration of football.