Memories of the good old days were shared aplenty on Sunday at Legacy Pitch of Lagos National Stadium, Surulere, as some ex-internationals turned up at a football competition in honour of late Coach Hyacienth Nkwocha.
Sports247 reports that the presence of former national team stars, Peter Nieketien and Tajudeen Disu, added an extra touch of glamour to the occasion, which had a mini-football competition as the day’s major attraction in honour of late Hyacienth, who was Grassroots Football Coach of The Year 2001.
The final of the mini-competition was eventually won 1-0 by Faith (F8) Ballers FA against Strong Dove Football Academy, right after Surulere Coaches Selected defeated CATS All Stars in an exhibition match to spice up the day’s activities.
Also among the special guests was the technical director of Lagos State chapter of Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON), Coach Sunny Epoche, who recalled the exciting days he had working alongside the late tactician during their time together of tinkering kids at British Council’s Commmunity Action Through Sport (CATS).
On his part, the project’s administrative manager and secretary-general of its umbrella body, Nigerian Grassroots Football Federation (NGFF), Pastor Oscar Ezinwa Emmanuel admitted that it would have been a more befitting occasion had the date not coincided with the end of year party of the newlook CATS Ladies FC, as all their players, coaches and officials could not turn up to give their homage to Coach Hycienth.
Mr Oscar (aka TM) enthused: “I just hope that it will be better planned next year; so that there would not be a clash of interests, as it happened during this edition that took place on Sunday.
“At the same time, I would like to see some of our CATS products who are based abroad travel home to be part of the event and take full control of its organisation with the experience they have gained in doing things better overseas.”
