The 3rd Governor Douye Diri/SPOCS International Scouting Program in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa state, concluded on Wednesday, with ten players, including a goalkeeper, selected during the four-day event. These players may have the opportunity to sign professional contracts with football clubs abroad.
Mr. Gbenga Agbejoye, Director of SPOCS International, a renowned sports scouting firm, praised the abundance of talent in Bayelsa and commended Governor Senator Douye Diri for his commitment to youth development through sports, especially football. Agbejoye emphasized the high quality of players discovered during the scouting program, stating that the state is among the best in talent scouting.
Lockhart Geoff, the Head of Scout representing Newcastle, Wolverhampton, and Watford of England, expressed satisfaction with the competitive games and the players’ desire to impress foreign scouts. He indicated that they had identified some talented players to potentially take to Europe.
German Scout Mr. Borel Moukoko also spoke positively of the scouting program, noting that he had seen players with great potential and the quality to compete in European leagues.
Emmanuel Appah, Deputy Director General of the Prosperity Cup, expressed gratitude for Governor Diri’s vision in promoting grassroots football and for allowing foreign scouts to visit the state to seek out young talents.
Several players and coaches who participated in the scouting program expressed their happiness at the opportunity to play in front of foreign scouts. They aspire to play top-tier football in other parts of the world in the coming years.
The scouting program featured teams from Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, Edo, and Imo States, with a total of eighteen teams participating. The event concluded with a novelty match between the Local Organizing Committee and the scouts against a selected All Stars team.
The program was a collaborative effort between the Prosperity Government of Governor Douye Diri, Commissioner of Youth and Sports Development Hon. Daniel Igali, and SPOCS Sporting Consultants, Germany, and Red Sapphire Ltd Abuja.
