Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
A promising Nigerian forward, Divine Kanu, has secured a one year deal with FCV International Football Academy Stamford, United Kingdom.
Head coach of Makinz Football Academy, Abuja, Benson Akinboni, described the 19-year old graduate of Afe Babalola University, as a prolific striker.
Fielding questions from sports writers in Abuja, Coach Benson expressed confidence that Divine will secure a professional contract after one year with the UK football academy.
“He is a graduate who joined our academy this year. He is a prolific striker that has scored loads of goals. He is good at scoring goals using his physique and he is very humble and listens to instructions. He is a player in the mould of Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Lukaku, and other bulky strikers we watch in the topflight leagues across the globe. He is certainly going to be a good addition to FCV.
“What went into the deal is that we registered him with the academy, which combines education and football. But since he has already graduated, he is going straight into full time football. He is going to gain a lot with the academy and come back to represent Nigeria after spending time with them. He will spend one year there but he may continue if we were unable to secure a club for him,” he said.
Equally speaking about the deal, Kanu, said: “I have always wanted to be a footballer but my parents insisted I must graduate first. I never regretted that choice and now that I am done with schooling, I will face football and good enough that my father is financially stable to secure me the academy.
“My target is to secure a professional contract in my first year with the academy and to see myself in the best league of the world and play for the national team. My dream team is to play for Chelsea FC. My model in the national team is Kanu Nwankwo while Didier Drogba is my model of club player.
“I know that I have to be discipline and keep my head calm, remain focused to my dream and avoid distraction to my target. The good thing is that I am educated, which is a plus for me to weather any storm ahead of me in London,” he noted.
His father, Collins Kanu, only have words of advice to him, noting: “He wanted football early in life but we insisted on education. We had to arrive at a consensus after graduation and insistence on continuing with football. My advice to him is to work hard because it is the secret of success. We have advised him to put extra effort,” he said.