Uplift Football Team: Udinese FC assures Amosun’s wife of support

Udinese FC of Italy on Wednesday promised to sustain its partnership with Uplift Football Team by ensuring “a wider collaboration” with the wife of the Governor of Ogun State, Olufunso Amosun, to make the summer football internship programme a yearly event.
Speaking at the press conference to mark the official closing ceremony of the two weeks summer football internship programme put together for the 22 players from Ogun State at Udinese FC in Italy, the Serie A Club Youth Sector Manager, Angelo Trevisan, described the initiative of Amosun to bring the 22 talented players to Italy as “a great start” of good partnership between her Uplift Development Foundation and Udinese FC.
Trevisan said: “The boys displayed exemplary behaviour and are well disciplined.
“I hope they really enjoyed their stay in Udine, Italy.
“Our trainers have seen some very promising footballers among your boys.
“This ceremony represents the beginning of a wider collaboration.
“It is our desire to make it a yearly event.
“This is a great start and we should collaborate together to sustain the project.”
Also, speaking at the event, the President of Fai Sport, Giorgio Zanmarchi, commended the wife of the governor for agreeing to make use of Udinese FC facilities to train the 22 talented players from Ogun State.
Zanmarchi said: “When I was told that Uplift Development Foundation was looking for a partner in Europe to train some talented footballers, I contacted Udinese FC at once.
“The players got integrated into Udinese Youth Sector’s training schedule as if they had always been part of it.
“We can definitely say that we have won another challenge together.
“We have to sustain this project by giving opportunities to other players to come to Italy to get the exposure.
“We hope to see you soon.”
Earlier in her remarks, the initiator of UPLIFTing Under-15 Grassroot Football programme, Amosun, expressed her gratitude for the warm reception given to the Uplift Football Team, saying: “I believe our players have indeed proved to you that they are talented.”
She added: “It was a pleasure to spend these days in the facilities given by Udinese FC and it was a unique experience for our young footballers.
“I hope the Uplift foundation can reciprocate the hospitality and host a delegation of Udinese FC players in Nigeria to hold a friendly match with our talented players.
“Also, I look forward to having a deeper collaboration between Udinese FC and Uplift Development Foundation to build a football academy in Ogun State.”
The two weeks summer football internship programme in Udinese FC in Italy, organised for the 22 players discovered during UPLIFTing Under-15 Grassroot Football programme organised by Amosun in April 2013 in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, came to a close with a friendly match between Uplift Football Team and Udinese FC Giovanissimi Regionali (Udinese FC Feeder Team) at the Bruseschi Centre beside Udinese FC Stadium located in Udine, Italy.
The 22 players were also given a certificate of attendance by the Udinese FC Youth Sector Manager.