BY RAYMOND NWADUBA 

English Championship side, Hull City were in Lagos state, Nigeria for a one day scouting program in search of young talented players.

The showcasing tournament which featured top academies and grassroots sides such as 36 Lion, Broadcity, Collins Edwin, Imperial, The CharlesAnn amongst others was a huge success.
The Lagos state Football Association Vice Chairman, Alhaji Gafar Liameed, who is part of the organizers of the laudable initiative, spoke on the motive behind the program while addressing the press during the event.

According to the Club owner turned administrator, the program is designed to unearth good, reliable players for Nigeria.

"We want to discover good, reliable players for Nigeria. We are blessed with a population of over 200m people and we do this minimum of three times a year, he said.

While speaking further he added: "This is same concept but with a different opportunity. Hull City in Lagos, it's rear and it's not easy for players to get transfer to England, they have to get some points or play for the national team.

"But the new owners of Hull City has a club in Greece, Cyprus and they also trying to get one in Croatia where they will move the young ones discovered in Nigeria especially Lagos to acquire maximum points to go to England or play for the national team.

Gafar however posited that he is not perturbed that young talented players are taken straight to Europe denying them opportunities o play in Nigeria league, stressing that they are going about it the right way. 

"I'm not worried because we are doing it the right way. The very first thing is to get permission from where it is supposed to be gotten, which is from their parents. You get parental consent to allow them to travel.

"If you look at the set of players in the program it's not strictly U-17. They are players between the ages of 17-19 years.

"Players 17 going to 18 years according to FIFA rule can travel for three months and return back to Nigeria, but won't sign until they are 18 years.

"But you know if we don't expose them early enough, how will they be able to complete with their peers abroad? How will they know the technique, tactics of playing teams from abroad. 

"If you notice, most of our players playing at U-20 level now must have gone to Europe once or twice before which is good for them  as semi- professionals before representing the country.

"But ultimately the target is to have them prepared for the Super Eagles', he concluded.

The program was held at the Legacy Pitch, Surulere, Lagos and it was put together by 36 Lion, Diamond Sports and H.E.K United Sports Management Limited.

Top Hull City Scouts such as their Chief Scout Mustafa Sait Yokes was part of the program.