Europe: Siyom FC Selects 40 Players From Kaduna, Kano, Abuja

Top Scouts From Europe Expected In November

No fewer than 40 players discovered from three cities, Kano, Kaduna and Abuja will be groomed and positioned for selection by top coaches from Europe who will visit Kaduna in November.

Frenchman, Mohamed Ait-Hida who is the Head Coach of Siyom FC, dropped the hint, when fielding questions from newsmen in Kaduna on Thursday.

“We picked players from three cities, Kaduna, Kano and Abuja.

“In November, my partners will come from Europe to select the best I have chosen out of the 40 players from the three cities to play in different positions,” he said.

According to him, the ages of players selected are between 16 to 19 years.

“We are selecting these young because older players are difficult to progress in career,” he said.

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On why targeting Nigerian players, he said that the country has several young potential world stars, waiting to be discovered.

“I chose players here because Nigeria is a big country with lots of talented players.

“Right now Nigeria is not topping Africa because many young players are not being discovered,” he said.

Coach Ait-Hida who has been in Kaduna for about one month, said he is impressed so far with the quality of the youngsters spotted.

Also fielding questions, Chairman of Siyom FC, Mr. Salisu Isah explained that the club is duly registered in Nigeria and is affiliated to Football Association (FA) and registered with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

“Siyom FC has been in existence since 10 years. We started in Kano but moved to Kaduna because Kaduna is centre of North,” he said.

Isah further said that he has been in Kaduna for six years and they have been struggling to hold grounds.

On the players so far spotted by the club, he revealed that they would all be moved to Kaduna for further grooming.

“Those selected from Abuja and Kano will join others spotted in Kaduna.

“We are planning to register in the Nigerian league but for now we are building on our foundation.

“What we did before now is that when we get a good player, we sponsor them abroad to get good life.

“Aim.of Siyom FC is to pick talented players from.the streets and make them stars,” he assured.

On how he was able to bring Frenchman Coach Mohamed to NIgeria, he said it was a careful process.

“I went through profile of Coach Mohamed and decided to invite him over,” he said.

On financing of the team, he agreed that it is funds consuming.

“We have done 95 per cent of the project. Really it is capital intensive. The five per cent we are throwing out to whoever wants to come in to fill in the remaining five per cent in partnership,” he said.

The Siyom FC Chairman gave 100 per cent assurance that the players are not going to be trafficked, but given opportunity to launch their careers on the global stage in Europe.