Former Sunshine Stars FC of Akure gaffer, Coach Kayode Julius has revealed that the passion to develop football talents by the Proprietor/CEO of Malick Pro FC Academy attracted him to Owerri.
Coach Kayode who spoke to Sports Writers Association of Nigeria SWAN, Imo state chapter shortly after his unveiling at City Cruz Hotel, Owerri said he was motivated into accepting the offer because of the proprietor’s passion for football and its development in Owerri and beyond.
According to him “having been at the Premiership (NPFL) for 7 years and played the game up to national and international levels, I want to give back my experience to young talents and assist them achieve their ambition in football. “As a coach it’s very pertinent to be refreshing your brain regularly else you go into extinction ” Kayode asserted.
The Coach pointed out that the institution will run a youth team and a football academy in line with FIFA practices.
The soccer tactician therefore assured that on 12th of July by 8am at tge Old Township Stadium along Tetlow Road, Owerri he will kick start a one week open screening exercise to enable him and his coaching crew recruit players ass those selected will be under tutelage and groomed into world class talents.
Earlier in his remark during the unveiling, Chief Atufule Kachi “Malick” the club’s Proprietor/CEO described Kayode as a big fish that is in Imo to develop grassroots football using the Malick Pro FC/Academy as a litmus test.
While expressing gratitude to Kayode who’s immediate past Coach Kayode for accepting the offer of intensively piloting the affairs of the academy in the next six months, Chief Kachi expressed optimism for the club to progress under his care.
” Right from birth I have had special passion for the game of football as well as the drive for human empowerment.
“Truly, this was my motive for setting up “Malick Mercy Foundation”, a non governmental organization NGO, which have in many ways empowered the youths and other members of the society.
“The NGO has also assisted the State Government in her efforts of keeping the youths busy and help to eradicate youth restiveness as well as anti social vices.
“I see the game of football as another strategic way of keeping the youths engaged, these one of the reasons of my investing in football as a business.
“In life, if you want the best, you have to do extra ordinary things. This is the rationale why I brought in a seasoned coach like Julius Kayode, immediate past Chief Coach of Sunshine Stars FC to manage the Academy and the football business.
