Victor Onyekachukwu Nwenwe, the Technical Manager for the Nigerian Amputee Football Federation, provided insight into the federation’s plans for the Special Eagles in an exclusive interview with Sports 247 following the successful Kick for Love event.
“The Kick for Love event is a successful outing and we want to use this as a platform to kick-start the preparation for the African championship that will take place in Egypt,” Nwenwe revealed.
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“So far so good we have made the selection of the national team players, 20 of them and we believe we will make out the best from them.”
With the camp tentatively scheduled in two weeks, Nwenwe outlined the rigorous selection process ahead.
“The first phase is just to pick the ones that we think will give us the best so it’s a selection process anyway and it’s not going to be easy because all the players are all good,” he explained.
“But we have to work around the clock to make sure we get the best.”
Turning his attention to the development of the female players, Nwenwe emphasized their eagerness to participate despite being in a nascent stage.
“The most important thing is their eagerness. They are very eager to play which is the most important thing,” he noted.
“We will start from the basics. We will teach them how to handle the crutches and how to kick the ball. Then we’ll proceed. And I think in the shortest time we will get the best in them.”
However, Nwenwe acknowledged the challenges faced by the federation, particularly in securing adequate funding.
“Our problem is funding. The federation has a lean purse,” he lamented. “The moment Nigeria puts interest in amputee football and the support starts coming, the players will deliver.”
Reflecting on past achievements and disappointments, Nwenwe expressed hope for increased recognition and support for amputee football in Nigeria.
“The last Nations Cup that we went to in Angola, we played in the finals and it was very unfortunate. We came second,” he recounted.
We were beaten by the world champion, the Angolans. And we thought that that would be the beginning of good things to come in Amputee Football.
But when we came back, nothing happened. Everything just went down like that.
“I just pray that this time around, people will look towards the Amputee Football and rally around the Amputee footballers and encourage them.”
Despite the challenges, Nwenwe’s unwavering dedication and optimism underscore the federation’s commitment to excellence and the advancement of amputee football in Nigeria.
