To Discover New Okochas, Osimhens
•Seek a partnership with NFF on grassroots development.
Bundesliga giants Eintracht Frankfurt are in Nigeria for a talent hunt program to discover new Austin Okochas, Nwankwo Kanus and Victor Osimhens yours sincerely can exclusively report.
The officials of Eintracht Frankfurt led by their Chief Scouting Coordinator, Sebastian Frank arrived Nigeria on Friday May 19, 2023.
The German contingent was received by former Hannover 96, MSV Duisburg, SPVGG Unterhaching, Carl Zeiss Jena, and VFL Osnabruck defensive midfielder, Darlington Omodiagbe.
Omodiagbe a FIFA license agent and former member of the technical committee of the NFF is partnering with Eintracht Frankfurt to bring this project to life. He is equally working in conjunction with another FIFA license agent, Olakunle Awoyale.
According to Omodiagbe, the excellent performance of Victor Osimhen in the outgoing season with SS Napoli has sparked a huge interest in Europe for Nigerian players.
Bundesliga organizers and clubs are seeking and focusing on ways to tap into the exploits of Osimhen to discover more of his kind believed to be in the nooks and crannies of Nigeria.
Omodiagbe speaks, “Osimhen has revived the hope of better things and days for Nigerian football. The interest and desire for Nigerian players is huge in Europe as I speak irrespective of the ouster of Golden Eaglets from Algeria 2023 AFCON U-17.
“We’re keying into this interest especially as we discovered that the request is high in the Bundesliga where the likes of Austin Okocha, Jonathan Akpoborie, Victor Agali, Karibe Ojigwe, and yours sincerely among others played.
“As our partners from Eintracht Frankfurt say, it is an avenue to discover more Okochas and Kanus and Osimhens. So it is going to be a scouting program or talent hunt if you like. It will be organized in Ijebu Ode where invited teams will feature in a mini-competition of two groups. It will run between May 20-28.
“That is the first part of our program. The second part will run off almost immediately after we conclude the first. Eintracht Frankfurt seeks to partner with the Nigeria Football Federation to ensure football at the grassroots is developed along the FIFA Goal Project vision which involves how Academies should be run to feed the club sides first and from there to the national teams.
“We hope this project is supported by stakeholders and all concerned as it will serve as a blueprint to revive our football. If Senegal can rule African football at all levels then, Nigeria can. That’s our ultimate goal but first things should be done first.
“Like the Holy books say, If the foundation is destroyed what can the righteous do? We want to rebuild the foundation of our football from or with this little project hence, we appeal for support.”
