Kano seek Sunderland pact

A team of officials that included Kano deputy governor Abdullahi Ganduje and former NFA chairman Ibrahim Galadima were recently in England to discuss with Sunderland in this respect. “Yes, we were at Sunderland last week to discuss with them on the possibilities of a technical partnership,” Galadima told MTNFootball.com “This was a follow-up on a […]

A team of officials that included Kano deputy governor Abdullahi Ganduje and former NFA chairman Ibrahim Galadima were recently in England to discuss with Sunderland in this respect.

“Yes, we were at Sunderland last week to discuss with them on the possibilities of a technical partnership,” Galadima told MTNFootball.com

“This was a follow-up on a discussion already started by the former government of Kano State.

“We had the chance to visit their academy as well as see what their programmes were like.”

The officials also visited the famous Senegalese academy Diambar de Saly in Diourbel.

The academy is sponsored by adidas and co-founded by former France stars Patrick Vieira and Bernard Lama as well as Jimmy Adjovi-Boco.

Galadima is the chairman of a 23-man technical committee on sports development and establishment of a sports institute in Kano State.

“We want to get the young ones professionally prepared for a career in football by the setting up of this academy,” said Galadima.

“We have already acquired land and some property about 25 kilometres outside the city of Kano and we are hopeful that we could get started even on a low key by the middle of next year.

“It will be started by the government but run by professionals.”

Kano is one of the hot beds of Nigerian football and home to the country’s best followed club Kano Pillars, who command an average of over 25,000 fans at their home games.