The much anticipated Africa biggest football scouting try-out finally kickstarted at the UNIBEN sports complex, Benin-City over the weekend with an unprecedented large turn out of players, coaches, parents and spectators as the event was declared open by the Chairman Edo State Sports Commission, Mr Godwin Dudu-Orumen.
The talent hunt programme had initially suffered a 10 day postponement due to VISA hitches encountered by some of the invited European scouts but according to the spokesperson of the event, Wole Opatola, the scouting trial which is endorsed by the African Football Legends and the Edo State Football Association took off successfully on Friday in Benin-City with eminent personalities and sports veterans on hand to welcome the General Coordinator of Dynamic Africa Stars, Mo Muhammed Mustapha, Event Director, Fred Newton Erhumwunse as well as the local and foreign scouts like the Nigeria National U-15 coach; Danladi Nasidi, CAF Champions League winning coach Kadiri Ikhana, Jacques Jean (Nantes) France, Ramis Bulatov (Rubin Kazan) Russia, Patrick Gigani (Hoffeinham, Leverkusen) Germany while other scouts are expected to arrive this weekend.
Hundreds of Young players from Edo State, Delta State and it’s environs are expected to display their skills over a 5-day period in the South South leg holding in Benin-City for a possible selection for trials abroad before the train moves on to Lagos, Kano and finally to Abuja.
“This talent scouting exercise is expected to unmask about 200 fresh talents to be assisted in achieving their life long objective of becoming a professional football player”, Mo Mohammed Mustapha the Event Co-ordinator declared as he wished the young trialists the very best of luck while addressing them on day 1.
The talent hunt programme is proudly supported by the African Football Legends, the Edo State Football Association and the Edo State Sports Commission in conjunction with Wesley Hotel Benin, Big Joe Logistics, Benin and Ministry of Sports Abuja.