Monday Kanu, a former football international with experience at the junior level, having played for clubs like Julius Berger and Bendel Insurance, attended the community football match featuring Yellow and Blue FC over the weekend.
His presence at the event left him deeply impressed and inspired, prompting him to contemplate the essence of community football and its potential for further development.
Upon witnessing the large and enthusiastic crowd gathered for the community football match, Kanu expressed his astonishment and appreciation. He recognized the importance of grassroots football, especially in nurturing young players in local neighborhoods.
As an executive member of the Nigerian Grassroots Football Foundation, he has a strong commitment to the growth of the sport at this level.
“Actually, I have been hearing about Yellow and Blue FC until today when I ran into them. It was so awesome, I was blown away. I was flabbergasted, to say the least, to see this kind of crowd in community football.
For me, I am all about grassroots football. Also, as an executive of the Nigerian grassroots football foundation we are primarily concerned with bringing up the young players in the neighborhood.”Kanu said in an interview with Sports247
How You Can Get a Chance a Become a Millionaire
Kanu’s observations also extended to the 1xBet Cup, which focuses on grassroots football. He noted the absence of corporate sponsorship or involvement in the community event and found it remarkable that such a crowd could gather.
In his own words, “Coupled with the fact that currently, the 1xBet Cup is all about grassroots football, I was so inspired by what I saw and had to spend some time and even as we speak, 20 minutes after the game, the crowd is still hanging around. Come to think of it, there is no corporate sponsorship or involvement.
It shows the love of the game similar to the days we played in the late 80’s and 90’s. The love of the game is still there. So the next thing is, what is the attraction and magic behind this crowd?”. Kanu said.
Monday Kanu pondered on how to harness this enthusiasm and use it as a model for expanding grassroots football throughout Lagos and Nigeria. Kanu emphasized his genuine interest in this prospect.
“Is there a way to leverage what is being done here to take it to the next level and also extend this kind of impression seen here in other parts of Lagos and Nigeria? For me, that is what I am truly interested in.” He said in the interview.
Regarding the players’ call for the government to improve the pitch, Kanu suggested a different approach. He believed that the corporate sector could play a significant role in managing and developing these facilities, with the government’s responsibility being to provide an enabling environment for such initiatives.
He spoke about the scarcity of facilities and how private sector participation could create bustling spaces for community use, emphasizing the importance of involving youths and giving them more playing time.
Monday Kanu’s enthusiastic support for grassroots football highlights the potential for community-driven initiatives and the collaboration between private sectors and the government in furthering the sport’s development at the local level.
