Organisers of 1X Bet Cup 2024 are talking tough ahead of their August 5th kick-off date, even as they aim for the discovery of new stars for Nigerian football.
Aside from providing a smooth platform for budding talents to showcase their potential in a highly competitive environment, they also aim to outline new standards for youth football in Nigeria.
These points were buttressed by the competition’s technical director and chief organiser, Waheed Akanni, who also vowed that fair officiating will be strictly maintained in all matches of 1X Bet Cup season two, up to the final on September 26th.
Akanni further told sports247.ng in an exclusive interview that he will personally ensure that referees provide level playing grounds for all teams in the competition, which has a total cash prize of N20m and various other goodies at stake.
The former Super Eagles’ defender, who was also once chairman of Lagos State Football Association (LSFA), acknowledged that all players and coaches involved in the contest will give their very best in order to grab the huge amount of money on offer.
“Twenty million is a lot of money in Nigeria of today,” Akanni admitted.
“When it comes to a grassroots team, it means something big. This is an investment that not even a state-owned team is getting in Nigeria.
“We believe this will boost the players and bring out the best in them.
“We, the organisers, expect all the teams to be determined for victory in every match, and we are ready for them.
“We will put up a good show and ensure that everything is fair. Nobody will complain.”
While affirming that 1X Bet Cup 2024 will be a benchmark in the task of reviving Nigeria’s fortunes at the national team level, Akanni also explained how referees would be kept in check during the competition.
“I always tell my referees, ‘If you don’t do well, I will remove you and referee myself.’
“It’s part of our rules, not FIFA’s rules. If a referee is not doing well, we’ll change that referee while the game is still going on. That will keep the referees on their toes as well.
“For Nigerian football to get back to where it used to be, we have to go back to the grassroots. The grassroots are where the future is, and that’s what 1XBet is now doing,” Akanni expatiated.
He concluded with a look at the under-23 national team’s absence from the ongoing Olympic Games in France, but, instead of laying all blame at the door of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the former USA-based star hinted that all hands must be on deck to put things back in order.
“Unfortunately, Nigeria’s men did not qualify for the Olympics. It doesn’t speak well for Nigerian football.
“That’s not to say people in the helm of affairs are not doing well. They are doing their best, and everybody else should do theirs as well.
“Once that happens, everything will get back to normal, and then, hopefully, Nigeria’s men will qualify for the next Olympics,” Akanni predicted.
