The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Youth League has taken the front row seat at creating an enabling environment to help groom the younger generation to become those who will play first-team football in the foreseeable future.
This was made known by the NPFL Youth League planning committee chairman, Pastor Emeka Inyama in an interview in which he described the event so far as challenging, thrilling and ultimately rewarding.
“The NPFL Youth League has been created to create synergy between grassroots football and professional football, to create between youth football and those whole will grow into those in the main NPFL,” he opined.
He further stated that the successes recorded in the regional playoffs which happened across five centres nationwide was a pointer that the NPFL Board led by Honourable Gbenga Elegbeleye are on the right track as the goal from the beginning was direct and intentional, and execution so far has been laudable.
With the finals coming up in Benin City between February 24 to March 2, Inyama revealed that the intention of Elegbeleye was to see that the maiden edition is a success and be the foundation to what will be achieved annually even after his tenure as the head of the current league board.
“He (Elegbeleye) told me he wants this programme to live and surpass his administration as this is not to claim the tag of hosting the maiden edition as the aim is to grow Nigerian football,” Inyama added.
The playoffs final is to be hosted at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City with Remo Stars, Rangers, Rivers United, Plateau United and Katsina United participating in the inaugural edition.
Sharing his enthusiasm, he mentioned that the display of talents at the zonal level is a pointer that the playoff finals will raise the bar even higher.
“It is going to be exciting as we will see the best of youth football has never been seen, the best of youth football in the country, bringing together stars of tomorrow as well as bringing football scouts who will work with the technical committee of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to continue where they stopped in the zonal playoffs to identify outstanding players in the competition.”