The Edo State Government on Friday in Benin unveiled Wemimo Matthew as the new head coach for Edo Queens Football Club with a charge to return the female team to its old days.
The Edo State Deputy Governor. Philip Shaibu, who supervised the unveiling ceremony at the New Festival Hall, mandated the new coach to put her wealth of experience to transform the team.
According to Shaibu: “What we have with Edo Queens is to make it a model for a girl-child to look up to as role model.
“So, we decided to unveil a new head coach because of our performance in the just concluded Super 6 and management immediately said that we need a new coach that can groom young talents.
“Coach Wemimo Matthew is well educated with very high discipline, which we are already seeing in the team since her arrival.
“Some players had already been decamped due to wrong hair style.
“She will help us to develop young talents; she is going to work with all the 18 Local Government Areas of the state to scout for young talent.
“We are blending sports with education.
“We are one state that upgraded the female team with the male team.
“We encourage our players to be good ambassador of the state, they must strive to be the best, and we will support them with all necessary logistics.
“We are interested in seeing them play abroad; we are also interested in monitoring their contracts if they sign for foreign team.
“We want to see out players makes 80 per cent of our national team.”
Shaibu reiterated that Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin would not participate in the Nigeria National League if Nigeria Football Federation failed to address the issue between it and Remo Stars Football Club of Ogun State.
In her remarks, the newly-unveiled coach thanked the Edo State Government for finding her worthy of the appointment, adding that she was going to make the state proud.
Matthew said: “I am short of words, it’s an honour, this is my first time am seeing a female team given such support and attention from state government.
“I am very happy to be here, I am going to give my best for the team.”
