The Feyenoord technical team currently in Nigeria to train players and coaches participating in the 2015 Shell Cup football competition have showered praises on the talents produced by the sponsors.

L-R: International Relations Manager, Feyenoord Academy, Netherlands, Mr. Gido Vader; Head Coach,  Feyenoord Soccer Schools and Ex-Super Eagle Striker, Mr. Mike Obiku and Social Investment Manager, Shell Petroleum Development Company, Mrs. Abayomi Adeleye, at the Media chat on the 2015 NNPC-Shell Cup, in Lagos, yesterday.

Gido Vida, one of the Feyenoord Rotterdam officials, commended NNPC /Shell for investing in the youths consistently for 17 years.

He noted that the young lads taking part in the competition showed so much commitment and natural talents.

“We have our own ways of impacting knowledge into the youths. It has been a great experience for us and I have to salute Shell for helping in the development of talents,” he said.

Nigeria’s former international, Mike Obiku, noted that the difference between the talents in Nigeria and those in Holland was the facilities enjoyed by the youths in the Netherlands.

“I am happy to be part of this programme since I also started my career here. It is important that we were able to engage some of the coaches and we expect them to impact better knowledge of the games to kids across the country. The Shell Cup is a great competition because the focus is on developments of the participarts,” Obiku noted.

SPDC’s Sustainable Development and Community Relations Manager, Mr. Igo Weli, said the target of the sponsors was happy with the progress of the competition so far.

“The NNPC/Shell Cup competition has recorded many gains. However, the one success we are most proud of is the reduction of the number of boys who have abandoned their education in pursuit of a football career. Combining sports with education is the true purpose of the NNPC/Shell Cup. And I am happy to say that this has been achieved by the sustained efforts of SPDC, our joint venture partners and the Nigeria School Sport Federation,” Weli said.

Meanwhile, the semifinal of the Shell Cup takes place at the National Stadium in Lagos today. Government Day Secondary School, Katsina will take on Rochas Okorocha Foundation College, Imo in the first semifinal while Rezheight High School, Edo vs Government Secondary School, Kano