Lagos State 2024 FA Cup winners, Ikorodu City and the runners-up, Inter Lagos FC will both get financial and technical support from their football governing body to help them excel in this year’s Federation Cup.
This promise was provided on Sunday at Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan by Lagos State Football Association (LSFA) chairman, Hajji Gafar Olawale Liameed, right after Ikorodu City beat Inter Lagos 2-0 to retain the trophy they also won last year.
Harrison Austin opened scoring with a header, after which a penalty by Tosin Oyedokun sealed victory for Coach Bright Ozegbagbei’s team, who went home with the giant trophy and N500,000, while Inter Lagos got N300,000 for their efforts.
As both teams now get ready to represent Lagos State at the national level, Liameed has promised far-reaching areas of support to ensure the trophy returns to Nigeria’s commercial capital, after several years of absence from The Centre of Excellence.
He, however, clarified that financial assistance will be in the form of linking them up with sources that can boost their funds as well as provide experienced coaches to back both teams technically.
Liameed expatiated thus: “The support from the FA will be in the form of sourcing of funds for them. That is number one, because if there is no funds, there is no football.\
“We will also help them get some additional technical input by introducing experienced coaches to them. They should be able to know technical issues about teams they will meet in the National Federation Cup.
“As they are going outside Lagos, if they meet a team from Maiduguri, how do you play them? If you meet a team from Aba, how do you play them? If you meet a team from Kano or Osogbo, how do you play them?
“This is to ensure that they can go far. We want them to get as far as the final of the National Federation Cup. So, we’ll help them source for funds and also support them technically.
“The message that I’m passing to them is for them to do it right. What I’ve seen in this final, I love it, and I know it will get better. They should pay their players well and pay their coaches well. They should also uphold the book that guides the rules and regulations of football. It’s been a good final, a very good final … pulsating.”
Liameed concluded by expressing great expectations that the wave of new and youthful clubs emerging in Lagos State is an indication of glory days returning to where the cradle of Nigerian football used to be.
