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ODSFA lauds Akure United Football Academy’s partnership with Spanish club

Mr John Mafo, Chairman, Ondo State Football Agency (ODSFA), has commended Akure United Football Academy for its partnership with a Spanish club, Alcorcon of Madrid.

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Mr John Mafo, Chairman, Ondo State Football Agency (ODSFA), has commended Akure United Football Academy for its partnership with a Spanish club, Alcorcon of Madrid.

He gave the commendation in Akure on Saturday when he received Mr Olusola Oke, the proprietor of the football academy and Antonio Menendez Pato, the coach of the Spanish club, who came on a visit.

Mafo noted that ODSFA had been collaborating with Akure United Football Academy in efforts to develop talents in Ondo State, as part of designed strategies to stimulate grassroots football development.

He stressed that football had become a veritable tool for promoting people’s unity and empowerment throughout the world.

“We are committed to discovering talents in Ondo State. The government is using football to get our youths off the streets because it is another way of engaging them positively.

“We entered into partnership with Akure United because we recognised the academy as a committed team, which is ready to help the citizens of our state,’’ he said, adding: “We are now reaping the first fruit of the partnership.’’

Mafo pledged to fully support the partnership between Akure United Football Academy and the Spanish side.

Earlier, Oke thanked the agency for supporting his dream and vision for football development.

He said that Pato decided to visit Nigeria because of the recorded profiles of some players that were sent to him last year, adding that he wanted to ascertain if the players were still in good shape.

He said that the Spanish coach was in Akure to recruit players for his club, Alcorcon.

Pato, who spoke through an interpreter, said that he was happy to be in the country, adding that he was equally happy with the players’ performance so far.

He said that he would go to the Spanish Embassy in Nigeria to ensure hitch-free diplomatic approval for the players’ journey to Spain anytime they were invited to come over.

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