Italian football giants, AS Roma have begun its Youth football academy operations in Abuja, Nigeria.
UEFA licensed Coaches, Portuguese Andre Joao Castro from Lisbon (Level 1 in Talent identification) and Italian Giovanni Musumeci are expected to take charge of proceedings during the trials, with the sole aim of discovering and nurturing talents in the football-crazy country.
The Italian giants partnered Abuja-based academy Garden City Panthers with the aim of producing a steady stream of elite players with strong links to the Serie A club.
AS Roma operates one of the premier academy development programs in the world. Through this relationship, coaches will gain insights into best practices gained through decades of top-level development experience, and that’s information and expertise that will be passed directly on to discovered players.
The initiative will see the academy focus on giving opportunities to boys and girls with great football talents from ages 5-17. Registration is ongoing.
Trials with the Academy will begin from the 7-9 January 2021, in three centres across Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.
The centres are Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja; New Capital School, Asokoro and Guards Brigade Aguiyi Ironsi Cantonment.
Plans are also underway to set up the AS Roma Academy in other cities outside Abuja like Port Harcourt, Yenagoa, Benin, and Lagos.
The academy, an all-year-round football outfit offers the opportunity to learn the training methodologies and techniques of the club.
Scholarships for 60 people have been allocated for exceptional players in U-13, U-15, and U-17 cadres from indigent families.
And with the advice of AS Roma’s technical staff and specialized local coaches, every player will be supported to reach their full potential while learning the training & educational approach used by AS Roma’s Youth Sector.