He started his football coaching career in 1998 but it was last Saturday Coach Idowu Lateef popularly known as ID Noble clocked 24 years when he started his coaching career.
Instead of celebrating his years in coaching but Chief Coach of Bucknor FC cried out that he is not a fulfilled coach.
In an exclusive chat with Lateef recently he explained that he would have been a happy man had it been he has a coaching certificate to qualify him as a certified coach.
“I am angry with the players I used all my life to train because when I needed help from them, they kept promising me without doing anything.
“If I tell you that I don’t have an ordinary basic certificate, you would not believe me. I trained players who are playing within and outside Nigeria and none of them is ready to assist me,” said Lateef who nearly cried while granting an interview from our correspondent.
Lateef said he had done everything humanly possible to seek help from his past players, friends, and well-wishers but none of them is willing to assist him.
“I made some effort to reach out to friends, Bucknor FC management even the Alimosho Football Coaches Council where I belong but as I am talking to you now no positive response from anybody. So tell me how would I say I am fulfilled when I cannot boast of a coaching certificate? My brother, I need help and I have a future in this profession,” he said.
Lateef who promoted Bucknor from the Ikeja championship to the super league revealed that he had seen several offers from schools in Ikoyi, Lekki, and other places but cited lack of certificate denied him the juicy job.
“Do you know what this certificate cost me, journalist? I have seen offers from schools, and clubs that are ready to pay me but when I tell them I don’t have a basic certificate, they turned back to me. It is so painful that a coach of my caliber does not have a certificate. I know that someday, God would hear my prayers,” said the coach who was in tears while mentioning players he had trained in his coaching career.
Some of the players Lateef has trained are Solomon Gbadegeshin playing in Zambia, Francis Okafor playing in the USA, Ayobami Junior also playing in Kwara United, Adeleke Jimoh with Sunshine, and Ebuka Ijeze playing in Malta.
Lateef started his Coaching career with Glory FC, later handled MFM regional 70 football team, and is presently in charge of Bucknor FC and Academy.
