Our best yet to come in People FC –Attia

[Mirror]

Attia Yusuf is the coach of People FC, a Lagos- based football club which is owned by Pastor T.B Joshua of the Synagogue Church of All Nations. The team recently won the Ikeja Football League and Paul and Wilson Foundation (PWF) championship. Presently the club is competing for honours at the on-going Lagos State Super League. In this interview with IFEANYI EDUZOR the coach speaks on plans by the club to represent Lagos State in the Nigeria National League.

You once coached a Premier League side and now you are handling an amateur team, how will you compare the two experiences? It will interest you to know that I started with grassroots football and presently I have eleven years experience in grassroots football coaching. There is no conflict in the two because the job of every coach that worth his salt is to give quality training to his players and turn them to a winning side.

My experience as a grassroots coach helped me a lot when I was handling a Pro- League club side, but I will say that I did not find it difficult to adjust to the two scenarios because of my experience. I thank Prophet T.B Joshua for giving me the opportunity to nurture his team and the financial support he is given us so far. I promise not to disappoint him.

The man of God is supporting us enormously and only very few teams in the Nigeria Professional Football League can invest the type of money he has invested in the academy. I am also happy that it was through my effort as grassroots coach that I was able to discover a player like Ogenyi Onazi and Sani Emmanuel who were part of the Golden Eaglets team that won silver at the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup and incidentally, Onazi was a member of the Super Eagles team that won the last AFCON 2013 in South Africa.

Presently he is an integral part of the Super Eagles that are going for the FIFA Confederations Cup, as well as campaigning for the world cup qualifiers. There are many other players I discovered and this gives me joy every day.

What will you describe as the motivating factor behind your team's good run at the on-going Lagos Super League?

The reason for performing well is not farfetched because when you prepare well and have the type of players that can deliver the goals you will definitely win your matches. Apart from this, my players have been playing to instruction and determination which is key to success.

When you watch our game against LSPDC FC, which we won 1-0, you will discover that my players never lost hope even when the game became too tough and at the end of the day, when we finally scored the winning goal, we all felt happy because it was the same team that we defeated by 2-0 in the semi- final of Ikeja League. It was a sweet victory. Prior to the aforementioned, we have defeated Messiah FC 3-0 and also beat Teslim Thunder Balogun FC by 2-0.

We are also sending warning signals to other teams such as Apapa Golden Stars, Boulous FC, Israel FC and Ikorodu FC that we are not going to spare them. Having said this, I want to tell you that good officiating by the referees has also contributed to our victory because when match officials are biased, you find it difficult to win matches, not minding how well you play. Also when I took over the team, I took the issue of discipline very serious and this has helped the club to record successes in all our matches.

Can you tell us some of the teams you have handled before taking up the job of the Head Coach of People FC?

I have handled teams in both the Premier and Amateur leagues. When I was appointed the head coach of Grace FC, I turned around the fortune of the team as we gained promotion into the Pro-league same year. I also took Crown FC of Oshogbo to the Premier league.

Thus, this is my second year in Lagos and prior to my handling People FC, I have never experienced Lagos football before. I was in Lagos to take over FC Denda and get them promotion to the pro- league with plans of going back home after the season before my manager told me to assist the football academy of Synagogue Church of All Nations. I thank God for what he has been doing for me since I took up the appointment.

For example, last year my team emerged as champion of Paul and Wilson Foundation (PWF) tournament and this year again, I already have the Ikeja League in my kitty which translates to two trophies in one season.

Are you satisfied with officiating at the on-going Lagos Super League?

I think the referees have been trying in all matches we so far played in Lagos. Although there might be one or two questionable decisions because they are human beings but they are trying their best. I also believe that there fairness has contributed to the results we are getting because when match officials are biased you find it difficult to win your matches, not minding how well you play. So, I score them high and want other states to emulate them.

What is your reaction on the allegation that poor officiating of Nigeria Professional Football League is retarding the development of football in the country?

There is no doubt that poor officiating of matches is one of the major factors retarding the development of Nigerian league. A situation where teams win at all cost is condemnable, because it does not allow the best teams to emerge and represent the country at the continental competitions.

Having said this, I want you to say that officiating in Nigerian league has improved greatly. Now teams play away and win unlike what was obtainable in the past where teams hardly lose at home.

I just pray they will continue like that. We must have to take a clue from Europe where clubs go away and win and that has largely helped in stabilizing their league and made it attractive, not only to fans but corporate organizations that invest in football development. People should know that if you prepare well, you win but if you don't prepare well, you lose and that is football. If we continue to believe that we must win at all cost especially home matches, our league will not improve.

Looking at the country today, you will discover that a lot of churches now have football academies; do you think this will help in developing the country's football?

Your observation is correct because when you look at what is happening today, it looks as if the churches have dominated football. Right now, we have some churches in Abuja, Lagos and other parts of the country setting up football academies as a way of empowering the youths.

And I implore churches that have not established theirs to emulate them to enable our youths to be gainfully employed through football. In our team we have almost 35 players, so, if other churches can have 35 players, you can imagine the number of job opportunities it will create. The youths will have something to keep themselves busy and stop them from committing crimes.

What are you promising your fans in the on-going league?

My promise is that they will continue to watch good football from our team and we are going to work hard to come out tops with the trophy because we want to represent Lagos State in the play-offs so that the team can play in the national league which was the target given to us by the club's proprietor, Pastor T.B Joshua. The man of God has really tried for the team and it is now left for us to reciprocate that gesture by coming out tops and we will definitely do that. Our best is yet to come!

The Super Eagles will be participating at the FIFA Confederations Cup, how will you like the team to prosecute the tournament?

I must have to commend the Super Eagles for picking a draw in their World Cup qualifiers against Namibia in Windhoek. Their away match performance is an indication that the team is now balanced and can withstand any opposition. Having said this, I want the Super Eagles to approach the championship with all seriousness. They should remember that countries such as Spain, Uruguay and Tahiti who are in the same group with them are quality opposition and as such must maintain their winning mentality at all times.

National Mirror