Swiss-based Adedeji Presents Jerseys To NSC Chairman Dikko, Gafar, Legends At President Federation Cup Final
FC Gossau of Switzerland coach Adeyemi Adedeji has presented his club jerseys to Chairman of the National Sports Commission Shehu Dikko and other top football personalities at the President Federation Cup final in Lagos.
Adedeji who is on holidaying in Lagos also met the Lagos Football Association Chairman Liameed Gafar, Nigeria Football Federation Technical Director Augustine Eguavoen and 1980 Nations Cup legend Segun Odegbami who he extended the gesture to as a sign of solidarity in developing the game.
Adedeji who was recently re-engaged by Swiss club FC Gossau from FC Witikon as the Tactical and Technical Coach, presented the club jerseys to the football personalities at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena.
“It’s was great opportunity meeting these great men who are making a huge impact on our football. For me, it’s a privilege to present my club’s jersey to them as a sign of solidarity in developing football in Nigeria.”
It was more of a homecoming for Adedeji who has played at the iconic Water Front before it’s reconstruction and renaming by the Lagos State Government.
The former Stationery Stores midfielder who watched the President Federation Cup men’s final between Kwara United and Abakaliki FC as well as the women’s encounter between Rivers Angels and Nasawara Amazons felt nostalgic as the stadium brought back some fond memories as he recalled a particular encounter during his days as a professional league player.
“It’s a wonderful feeling to be here! I remember the last time I played as a Stationery Stores player at the Onikan Stadium before it was renamed Mobolaji Johnson Arena, it was a game against Julius Berger right here and we won the Oba Cup trophy 2-1.”
“So coming home to experience the President Federation Cup final is a very good thing to see” he confessed.
The ‘Afonja Warriors’ defeated the ‘Rice Boys’ 4-3 on penalties after a goalless affair at the end of regulation time.
The North-Central based team would win their first major title in 49 years and became the new winners of the oldest football tournament in the country.
‘Triple A’ as Coach Adedeji is fondly called shared his brief assessment of both teams.
“I have to be honest with you, I can see Abakaliki FC looked more organised, they are more tactically sound and we can see how flexible and the free-flowing football they played and how dangerous they were in the third zone. For Kwara United, what we saw was one-pass-two-pass and long ball. For me, I wasn’t too happy to see that from a NPFL team” he said.
