Real Madrid Football Academy in Port Harcourt Begins Screening of Candidates

 

The Rivers State Government-owned Real Madrid Football Academy in Port Harcourt has commenced a four-day process towards admitting the first set of students for the academy on Monday, January 18, 2021.

Intending students are expected to undergo aptitude tests before being subjected to physical football screening exercise at the Sharks Football Club Stadium.

Over 1,500 applications have been received so far from an initial 2,300 that applied from every state of the federation in what promises to be a highly competitive admission process.

 The Special Adviser to Rivers State Governor on Real Madrid Football Academy, Barrister Chris Green, said arrangements have been put in place to ensure a smooth exercise under strict observance to Covid-19 protocols.

Green the exercise was being done in conjunction with the Rivers State Ministry of Education and pointed out that every intending student will be given a fairground to compete.

He said, "It is understandable that we have such volume of applications given the world-class facility that we have at the Real Madrid Football Academy. I am excited at this wonderful opportunity to help a young generation of Nigerians achieve their dreams. We must immensely thank His Excellency, Governor Nyesom Wike for this great vision. This is a deliberate attempt to build future generations of Rivers youth in particular and other Nigerians in the best of football tradition."

“Governor Wike is very enthusiastic about this project and he has given us the free hand to choose only the best in a free and fair contest. We will not let him down and we want to assure all intending students of a transparent process," Green added.

Green, a former   Technical Committee Chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF),  added that there would be strict adherence to covid-19 protocols, just as he maintained that medical personnel would be on the ground to enforce the guidelines.

"We shall provide all the candidates with nose marks and hand sanitizers. They are expected to come with their writing materials for the aptitude test and football shoes for the practical screening as all other playing gears have been provided by the Academy. We enjoin the candidates and their parents/guardians to be orderly and obey all instructions," he concluded.