Rufai: We must go back to the grassroot

Peter Rufai has called for regular football competitions at the grass-roots level.

 

According to the Tunisia ’94 Africa Cup of Nations winner, grassroots championships will help the country discover more talents.

 “We need to introduce football to secondary schools; we have boys and girls who can build career in the sport and become world champions,” Rufai said.

 The former Deportivo La Coruna keeper  urged the Lagos State Government and corporate organisations to support football at the grassroots to boost the development of the sport  in the state.

Rufai said: “There is a need for the government and corporate organisations to support and focus on football at the grassroots in order to discover new talents.

“If such talents are groomed and exposed, they would make the nation proud in international events.”

He commended the organisers of the Milo U-13 football competition for organising the championship  to discover and develop new talents.

Rufai appealed to the authorities to upgrade and provide modern facilities  in the country to enable  Nigerian  athletes compete favourable with their foreign counterparts.

He advised  youths to aim to become sportsmen and women to stay away from criminal acts that could have negative impact on their future.