Young players in different age categories at Heart of Lions Football Academy of Igando, Lagos have commenced intensive training under the guidance of their coach, Afeez Afeez Oladimeji, ahead of this year’s Ramadan Cup.
Sports247 reports that the academy’s training main base inside Local Government Primary School at Church Bus Stop along Igando-Ikotun Road and their annex at Cele Egbe, After Bridge, have both become a beehive of activities.
The training sessions have become more exciting and a lot busier than before; as new talents troop in to join the squad every Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening.
The team’s captains, Emmanuel Miracle (CP), Sulaiman Bakare (for juniors) and Olarenwaju Habeeb (seniors), are leading the charge to ensure the academy does better than last year, when they played a home/away under-13 cup quarter-final on December 22nd at Ijegun.
Coach Afeez admitted he was sad when his boys lost the first leg 3-0, but joy returned after the team won 5-0 in the second leg and qualified for the semi-final 5-3 on aggregate, which was their biggest achievement of the year.
The gentle coach recalled, “We celebrated the victory very well and it was part of what we showed our guests during our end of year party.
“We invited the general leader and secretary of Alimosho Football Coaches Council. They presented various awards to my boys, and we were all happy on that day. The boys really enjoyed the party.”
He then turned attention on his plans for 2026 and disclosed that his biggest target is to get the under-15 and under-17 boys ready for screening in the national camp.
“I’m preparing my boys for the Golden Eaglets’ assignment because I’m expectating a call-up to the under-17 national team. I’m already working towards improving the junior ones ahead of that time.
“We’re also preparing for Ramadan tournament as well as Custom Badagry Cup and Alimosho youth football championship,” the soft-spoken coach disclosed.
He concluded with an appeal for support from football enthusiasts, philanthropists, and well-meaning Nigerians in order for the team to meet up with all their aspirations for the unfolding year.
Afeez revealed, “What we need in our academy are jerseys, training bibs, balls, portable telescopic agility poles, soccer training mannequin fitness balls and other types of football equipment.
“My message to Nigeria’s football administrators and sports officials is that they should please let us work together to make things better. I want us all to join hands in order to boost Nigerian sports better, especially football.
“We also need people to invest in grassroots development, support our local leagues and help us nurture young talents. For my team in particular, we’ve got the power and mind, but we need a sponsor.”
