The 2nd edition of the Nigerian Professional Football League, (NPFL)-LaLiga coaching clinic for Nigerian youth coaches officially kicked off in Abuja on Wednesday 7th February 2018.
The coaching clinic is designed to train youth coaches on how to properly develop and manage young talents using the LaLiga methodology.
The five-day clinic with 50 youth coaches in attendance will hold at the National Stadium, Abuja from the 7th – 11th of February, 2018 and it officially precedes the NPFL U-15 Promises Tournament which is scheduled to start in April across different locations in Nigeria.
Present at the opening ceremony were League Management Company (LMC) Chief Operating Officer, Salihu Abubakar; Assistant Technical Director, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Coach Siji Lagunju; LaLiga delegate in Nigeria, Javier del Rio; LaLiga Ambassador, Mutiu Adepoju; and LaLiga coaching instructors, Luciano Martel Santana and Antonio Alvarez.
Speaking at the press conference, the LMC Chief Operating Officer, Salihu Abubakar said, “We are excited to kick off the 2nd edition of the coaching clinic. Last year’s edition was a huge success. Today marks another great day in our partnership with LaLiga, as they are the best league in the world, and we too aspire to be the best”.
LaLiga Ambassador in Nigeria and ex Super Eagles star, Mutiu Adepoju had this to say at the press conference “This is a follow up from the success of the 1st edition last year, at a much higher level. I hope the coaches not only listen but attempt to implement the insights received, and relay to their various teams”.
Also speaking at the press conference was LaLiga delegate in Nigeria, Javier del Rio, who said “We have been developing LaLiga for a number of years now, and Nigeria has huge potential in football, but lacks grassroots development. We truly believe that this clinic and the U-15 tournament coming up in a few weeks will really help with the development of football in Nigeria. We are bringing top international coaches from Spain to help achieve this”.
The NPFL-LaLiga partnership was signed in 2016 and has since recorded a number of exchange projects between the two leagues, including a tour of Spain by an NPFL All-Star team, the opening of the LaLiga Nigeria office in Abuja, and the U-15 tournament.