The Head Coach of the Abia Warriors U-19 Youth team, Mr Igwe Madubuike Erem, has said that the team hopes to occupy the prime position at the conclusion of the on-going Under 19 National Youth League, Southern Zone.
Speaking to journalists in Umuahia after Abia Warriors U-19 boys beat their visiting R2 Finesse Football Academy, Lagos counterparts 1-0, Mr Erem said that the team has a high prospect of emerging champions at the end of the league competition.
According to him, with the victory his team recorded and four outstanding matches, the team would certainly clinch the Southern Zone league ticket to qualify for the national draw.
He expressed happiness with the outcome of the match, stating that it was a great improvement from the past encounters at home in Umuahia where the team drew most of their matches, even after winning most of their away games.
The coach attributed the home draws to anxiety on the part of the players who he said are young and talented and not yet exposed to this high level of football but assured that the team is gradually finding its rhythm.
Coach Erem, who commended Abia Warriors management led by Coach John Obuh for their immense support to his team, assured that the youth team would continue to be the backbone of the main team as well as serve as a feeder ground for other clubsides, both within and abroad.
According to the tactician, the youth team is the in-thing in the football world today as most of them who are within the age bracket of 16-19 years play top-flight football even abroad and command regular shirts in their clubs revealing that his players are being groomed towards achieving this purpose.
