Former Super Falcons midfielder and later Assistant Coach, Maureen Mmadu’s kiddies club, MMKC, are to embark on a playing tour of Morocco next month.
This comes as a huge relief to the young girls after the frustrating disappointment of not being able to participate in the concluded Dana Cup Invitational Tournament in Denmark last month on account of last-minute visa denial by the Danish Embassy despite meeting all visa application requirements.
While the girls who had looked up to the Dana Cup to cut their international football teeth, were still brooding over the Denmark trip missed opportunity, a Ray of light flashed at the seeming dark end of the tunnel.
It had been confirmed that already, the MMKC players and officials have been granted all the entry documents by the Moroccan Embassy.
“We’ve to give God all the glory that after we were denied visa by the Danish Embassy so we could not make the trip to Denmark for the Dana Cup, we are now traveling to Morocco for a playing tour”, Maureen Mmadu pleasantly disclosed to all.
“To say the girls and their parents, not even me as a person, were disappointed by the Danish Embassy’s action, is an understatement.
“The organizers of the Dana Cup were also disappointed that we couldn’t make the trip on account of the Embassy action.
“Though the Embassy falsely claimed we started the visa application process late, this was was wrong as we’ve been on it since last year and the organizers told them so.
“But is in the past right now. Our focus now is on the trip to Morocco in September, precisely on 16th September 2022.
“We’ve been issued with visas (handing over the passports stamped with Moroccan visas to yours sincerely to peruse).
“It’s a welcome development, a big relief to the girls and their parents. It turned out a moment of jubilation in the camp when the visas were procured and I showed them to them.
“They hugged me and joyful emotion took over. We can’t thank God enough. He made it possible, whipping tears off the eyes of these wonderful kids. Truly, when one door closes, God opens another one”, the dark-skinned Licensed coach said.
checks reveal that, unlike the failed Dana Cup trip that had seen 18 players listed for the Invitational Tournament, 19 players would make the trip to the North African country, Morocco, next month.
“It’s the players that would have participated in the Dana Cup”, Mmadu sounded.
“But the only addition is the captain of the team who was not listed for the Denmark trip. So, now, 19 players will make the Morocco trip”.
The team returned to base on Sunday from Lagos where they had opened a one-week concentration camp at the Nigerian Institute for Sports, NIS, Lagos, ahead of the botched Denmark trip.
“The players are on a one-week break immediately we returned home on Sunday.
“They needed it to cool down their nerves after the trauma they have had to go through.
“I’ve been sleeping all day long and night too since we came back.
“As you can see, I’ve not even made my hair, the last time I did was in the first week of July before we embarked on the journey to Lagos. Honestly, it hasn’t been easy at all”.
Mmadu would not want to recall the huge financial commitment she made in the failed Denmark trip.
“Where do I start, is it from the daily expenses while we were in Lagos?
“We spend about N9, 000 daily to cook for the team. Remember we were there for a month or more. And, of course, there are other sundry expenses given the fact that they are very young players, girls for that matter. You understand what I mean.
“This is outside accommodation bill for the period. But in all, I really thank God for making it possible for us to get this (Morocco trip) opportunity”.
