All of a sudden, the place to be in the hunt for untapped football talents in Owerri, Imo State has become Chika FC, Sports247 reports.
Unlike the past, when Old Stadium in the heart of the city held sway in terms of central focus for grassroots football, the place to be now is Chika FC’s training base at Orji Primary School.
The switch to the rusty area of Owerri known as Orji comes mainly due to a hunt for raw young players, in contrast with the past search for lads who would quickly fit into the structure of Nigerian league clubs at all levels.
Leading the new charge is a former player and youth motivator, Chika Uba, who is the club’s founder and head coach, as well as the marshal leading a new wave of grassroots development in the round leather game.
His efforts are already paying off, as football scouts keep turning up at his team’s training base on a regular basis, while strong hints have also emerged that some of his wards will soon get invitations to the under-15 and under-17 national teams.
“We are happy with how things are going and the impact we are making,” said Coach Chika, who looks amart in sports shorts, “but that’s not to say we are mocking the other teams.
“We are just doing the best we can to groom these young players to the best of our ability. There are many of them here, and we thank God that we are beginning to catch the eye of youth football experts in Imo State and beyond.”
