Governor Diri Pre Season Tourney to Kick off Monday, Teams Confirm Participation.
***Organizers Appreciate Gov Diri for Continuous Support****
Seven topflight Nigeria Premier Football League NPFL teams and a non league side Krusaders selected will participate in the governor Douye Diri pre season tournament in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
Organizers of the Tournament led by Director General of the Prosperity Cup, Mr. Ono Akpe gave the hint at a press conference held in Yenagoa ahead of the tournament.
Chairman of the Central Organizing Committee, Mr. Ono Akpe noted that the vision of the governor, Senator Douye Diri was aimed at strengthening Bayelsa United squad before the commencement of the season, pointing out that the primary reason for the tournament was to avoid the repeat of last season, where the state owned Team barely avoided the drop.
According to him, all the participating teams in the tourney have officially confirmed their readiness to feature in the tournament, maintaining that the tournament’s initial plan was for six teams but the governor made it open to eight teams, so as to accommodate the Prosperity Cup team, the Krusaders.
Clearing the air on why Krusaders Feeders FC was included rather than the 2024 Prosperity Cup champions, Ogboinbiri FC, the DG explained that the team is an assemblage of players from Ogboinbiri FC, Krusaders Feeders FC, and other exceptional players who were selected at this year’s governor’s cup, adding that Krusaders Feeders FC was just a mere nomenclature.
He appreciated the governor, Senator Douye Diri and his deputy, senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the commissioner for Sports Development, Dr Daniel Igali for investing in the development of sports.
Vice Chairman, Central Organizing Committee and Tournament Director, Mr. Perela Aboroson, said the tournament would be played in two groups of “A” and “B” with teams expected to arrive on the 11th of August while the tournament proper will commence on Monday 12th through the 18th of August, 2024.
He explained that the tournament will have fourteen matches with the winners of the two groups locking horns in the final match, while the first runner up from the group hostilities will play in the third place match.
He said there will be four games in
each day and a resting day will be observed on Tuesday, while Wednesday will witness another round of matches.
Mr. Aboroson asserted that the final and the third place matches of the tourney will come up on Sunday at the Samson Siasia Stadium, stating that all the participating teams would receive five hundred thousand naira (#500.000.00) each as appearance fee, the visiting teams will enjoy free accommodation.
In his remarks, commissioner for Sports Development, Dr Daniel Igali represented by Assistant Director Human Resource Management Ministry of Sports Development, Mr. Mike Ede-Alakere remarked that the essence of the tournament was to give Bayelsa United the opportunity to test their players before the NPFL kick off date.
Mr. Ede-Alakere stated that apart from giving the NPFL teams a platform to know their strength and weakness, it is also an avenue to market players who took part in the just concluded prosperity cup in order for them to be captured by some league sided.
In an interview, Chairman of the Media and Publicity Committee, Mr. Ebi Avi welcomed the idea of the government to organize another national event months after hosting the Nigeria Women Premier Football League Super Six, stressing that the tourney would create an opportunity to expose more Bayelsa youths.
The governor, Douye Diri pre season tourney is sponsored by the Ministry of Sports Development and the Bayelsa State Football Association, in collaboration with the Prosperity Cup organizers and Red Sapphire, a sports management consultant.
