GREENSPRING/ KANU FOOTBALL CAMP: Nwankwo Kanu is Now Passing The Ball to Young Stars In Lagos Nigeria

 The Legendiary Nigeria football player, Nwankwo Kanu, knew all the while that stars are scattered everywhere around Nigeria. So he came with Liverpool FC coach, Gary  Lewis, to Greensprings school in Lekki Lagos Nigeria, to develop and discover young stars. It was quite interesting to watch over 300 young players of about 10 years to 13 years display some raw football skills. But Kanu wanted something more for them. Something he didn’t get during his childhood days and he knows many African football players lacked – Tactical Discipline.

So the registered kids packed their bags and came to  Greenspring football camp to meet Kanu. And for one week, the kids stayed away from home to work on how to trap the ball, make good passes, set pieces, penalty and shots at football goals – whatever talent the kids displayed, the coaches were there to show them how to play better. it was not just Kanu and lewis, other coaches from Manchester City, Lewis Grimshaw and Micheal Horton and fellow Liverpool instructor, Gary Judge were on hand. And Joe Erico was one of the indigenious coaches involved.

The kids had the thrill of tasting what it’s like to hit the big time professional football league. It was keeping his dreams alive for young Adewale Bakare, a primary six pupil, who hope to play for FC Barcelona in the future. Bakare said, “I learnt so many new tactics, especially how to shoot at goal. I can now score goals easily like Lionel Messi.”

What a way to spend the summer holidays for Kanu and other English coaches, after an active football season in England. Although, it was the initiative of Greensprings school in collaboration with West African Schools Sports Union (WASSU) and sponsored by Diamond Bank, organizing summer camp for kids was it for both Kanu and Lewis. And kanu felt it was the right time to start impacting some tactical diacipline in these young lads and begin to teach them how modern football game are being played around the world.  “It’ll really pay off “ he said .

 But Joe Erico, one of the indigenious coaches, was more concern of how to nurture and sustain the talents they discovered during the camp. “The camp was just one week, so what happens after? How will the players discovered nurtured till they become martured for the game.” It remains a big question, since we don’t have many football schools and good academies around.

However, the experience the Kids gathered during the one week camp cannot be taken away from them. It will be such memory that will last for a long time, that could transform their football forever. I adjourn Nwankwo Kanu and the proprietors of Greenspring Schools to invest more on the projects like this.  And NFF as well as other organizations interested in football for brand support, should take advantage of this kind of project. Did you know, with programs like this, we would have discovered enough young talents in the country , and may not need to field in over aged players during U17 world tournaments  - Do we?