The interim board of Bayelsa United FC has launched a one-week preseason football tournament to identify and recruit outstanding grassroots talents into the club ahead of the new Nigeria National League (NNL) season.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the competition, organised in partnership with the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament, popularly known as the Prosperity Cup, will feature 14 teams.
In a statement jointly signed by Bayelsa United Chairman Peter Singabele and Prosperity Cup Director-General Ono Akpe, who also serves on the club’s board, the organisers said the tournament was designed to provide a platform for discovering promising young players.
According to the statement, the initiative is part of efforts to strengthen Bayelsa United with home-grown talents as the club seeks an immediate return to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
“The idea of the tournament is to spot outstanding talents that will be infused into Bayelsa United because we want to see our team return to the Nigeria Premier Football League immediately. We believe that the surest way to get talents is at the grassroots through platforms like this,” the statement said.
The competition will feature Prosperity Cup quarter-finalists, several Yenagoa-based clubs and three invited teams from outside Bayelsa: Ereme Jackson FC of Port Harcourt, Excellent FC of Ughelli and 36 Lions FC of Sapele, Delta State.
Participating Yenagoa-based teams include Prosperity Cup finalists Akinima/Biogbo, Mountain of the Lord Deliverance Ministry (MLDM FC), Krosaders FC, Brazil FC, Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM FC), Bayelsa United Feeders, Federal University Otuoke Kings (FUO Kings), Otuoke Grassroots FC, NDU Oilers, Orange Boys and Bayelsa Starlets Academy.
The organisers said the tournament aligns with the vision of Governor Douye Diri to identify, nurture and develop indigenous football talents capable of representing Bayelsa United at the highest level.
“This is an initiative from the new board in line with the governor’s vision to discover home-grown talents for Bayelsa United that will feature in the NNL,” the statement added.
The one-week tournament will run from July 22 to July 29 at the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa, with matches scheduled to kick off daily at 10:00 a.m.
The organisers urged participating teams to uphold sportsmanship and strictly adhere to the tournament rules, noting that the competition would also provide Bayelsa-born players with greater exposure.
The tournament will be supervised by Bayelsa United’s newly appointed technical crew, led by Technical Adviser and Chief Coach Abdul Maikaba, alongside Assistant Coach Ngozi Elechi. Members of the Prosperity Cup technical team will also participate as the club begins preparations for the upcoming NNL campaign.
Describing the competition as a deliberate effort to rebuild the club through grassroots football development, the organisers expressed optimism that it would create opportunities for young players to pursue professional careers.
“We are delighted to announce this preseason tournament that will see fourteen teams participating, including the Prosperity Cup finalists and other club sides in Bayelsa. The tournament will open a new chapter for home-grown talents in the state and create opportunities for players to achieve their dreams,” the statement said.
