Alhaji Gafar Liameed, the boss of 36 Lions FC, shared his thoughts on the recently concluded ‘A Minute in Lagos with Hull City Scouts’ one-day triple-header event.
In an interview with Sports247, Liameed highlighted the longstanding tradition of the scouting program, emphasizing that it has been held for over 23 years, with a minimum of two events per year.
Speaking about the specific Hull City Scouts edition, Liameed noted that the objective remains consistent: to identify the best talents among Nigerian players, providing them with opportunities to travel abroad and enhance their careers.
The ultimate goal is to prepare these talents for national teams like Nigeria U23 or the Super Eagles.
“This particular one is just a one-day triple header with Hull City scouts. It’s something that we do all the time and it’s the same program but with different opportunities because Hull City is from England.
The objective is always the same, to get the best of the best boys to travel abroad and better their career. And the ultimate goal is to get the best talent from Nigeria and prepare them for the Nigeria U23 or the Super Eagles.”
Liameed expressed satisfaction with the event, citing the positive character and coaching of the players.
He provided a brief overview of the match outcomes, with the first game ending 1-1, the second 0-0, and the third 3-1.
Notably, he highlighted the tenacity displayed in the third game, where the team that initially trailed came from behind to secure a victory.
“There are no challenges, The situation has been wonderful. The boys have good characters, are well coached and they deliver well. The first game ended 1-1, the second game 0-0 and the third game 3-1.
It’s been a wonderful day and if you see the third game that ended 3-1, the team that lost scored first, the other team came from behind. So that tells you the tenacity of the whole thing.”
Addressing the players and their expectations for future editions, Liameed urged them to “keep working hard” and assured them that with dedication, they would achieve their goals.
Alhaji Gafar Liameed’s reflections underscored the success and impact of the scouting program, offering valuable opportunities for Nigerian talents to showcase their skills on an international stage.
