TAIWO ADELU
In London during the signing of the partnership between West Ham United FC and FC Ifeanyi Ubah
Fast rising Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL side FC Ifeanyi Ubah and first African partner of West Ham United FC of England, will this week host their London-based partners, West Ham United FC in Lagos and Nnewi in a bid to take the partnership between both football clubs to the next level.
Top executives at West Ham United led by the Managing Director, Angus Kinnear and President of FC Ifeanyi Ubah, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah will on Wednesday unveil the blueprint that will guide the hunt for the next Nigerian superstar.
Club proprietor, Ifeanyi Ubah with club officials during a visit to West Ham Stadium in London
The project which aims to identify talented kids between the ages of 6 – 15 will kick off in December with coaches and scouts of West Ham United in regular attendance to offer technical support throughout the duration of the project. Selected kids will be enrolled into Ifeanyi Ubah football academy with the aim of harnessing their talents, thus providing West Ham United with a pool of talented players to pick from on a quarterly basis.
FC Ifeanyi Ubah recently signed a long term partnership with West Ham United back in August that will see the two football clubs join forces on a number of football-related projects led by FC Ifeanyi Ubah, from best-practice coaching initiatives to establishing grass roots football programmes in Nigeria, all with a view to improving the standard of football across the region.
Speaking to newsmen at the weekend in Lagos, Dr. Ubah explained the aim of the ‘Talent Hunt Programme’ and how that will metamorphose to a football Academy run by both West Ham United FC and FC Ifeanyi Ubah.
His words, “Our discussions since the unveiling of this historic partnership has always been centred on football development, with the discovery of future football stars in a country so rich in football talents waiting to be harnessed top on the priority list. West Ham are known to have one of the best academies in the world having produced players like Sir Trevor Brooking, Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick to mention a few and they are eager to identify and handpick talented African players that they can develop. The search for the next Lampard, Payet, Kanu and Okocha just begun and we believe this talent hunt will help us achieve our goal”.
Dr. Ubah further revealed that many more details on the next level of the collaboration between FC Ifeanyi Ubah and West Ham FC will be unveiled during the week in Lagos when executives from the London Club will be entertaining questions at a World Press Conference. There will also be a dinner in honour of contingent from West Ham and major football stakeholders and personalities will be in attendance in Lagos.
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