Gernot Rohr Excited As Juventus FC Opens Football Academy in Abuja
Super Eagles Coach Gernot Rohr Happy As Juventus FC Unveils Football Academy in Abuja
Super Eagles Chief Coach Gernot Rohr has expressed delight over the increasing number of football academies in the country particularly in the nation’s capital, Abuja.
Rohr who spoke after watching the training sessions of Juventus Academy, located in Central Business District, Abuja, said the trend portends well for sporting development in the country.
According to the German-born coach, sound physical development of the younger ones, including building their football talents, is a responsibility for different stakeholders and not for one body or few institutions.
Rohr stated: “I am happy that big clubs like Juventus Football Club are opening sports academies in Nigeria and here in Abuja. I am happy because more children will have opportunity to receive training early.
“Also, it helps because more people become involved in developing the children which is not the work of only one body but for many people, organizations and big clubs like this,” he added.
The Super Eagles Head Coach while commending Juventus FC recalled his experience during his active days as a professional footballer when he was part of the FC Bordeaux team that played against Juventus in the semi-final of the European Champions cup in 1985. He said that after winning the first leg, they (Bordeaux) were sent packing by Juventus following a tight 3-2 aggregate loss in the second leg.
The ex-French international reminisced how Juventus went on to win the cup by beating Liverpool 1-O in the final at the Heysel stadium in Brussels that was unfortunately tainted by a huge disaster which claimed many lives mostly Juventus fans.
Rohr described Juventus as a club that has great pedigree.
He also expressed satisfaction with the Turf Arena, Riverplate Centre, CBD where the Juventus Academy trains in Abuja.
Also speaking, an instructor at the Juventus Academy, Abuja, Coach Awolowo Aluko said the Academy trains children, teenagers and youths between the ages of three and 21 six days in a week stretching from Monday to Saturday. He stated that admission of more participants was still open with tryouts being conducted every day from Monday to Friday weekly. He invited interested parents to bring their children and register with the Academy. The official contact line of Juventus Academy in Abuja is +234(0)7016594626