By Emmanuel Ndukuba

The former Super Eagles’ coach, Samson Siasia, is to partner with the Charles and Fr. Ojukwu Football Academy in Anambra to boost soccer development,

The partnership would capture programme that would empower youths in the state.

Charles Ezeani, the proprietor of the academy, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Awka that Siasia and some foreign academies were helping his institution to identify and groom young talents.

“After grooming the young footballers, we will take them to foreign countries for better professional training and to earn a decent living,’’ he said

Ezeani, who is also the member representing Anaocha II Constituency in the state assembly, said that the academy had signed deeds with seven academies in three European countries to achieve the objective.

“Our effort is to economically empower the youths of my constituency and the state in general.

“We want to take them off the streets by empowering and encouraging them through football.

“We are taking advantage of our partnership with Siasia and other academies overseas to catch them young and create decent living for them,’’ he said.

Ezeani said that the NFF also gave the academy an opportunity to play in the national U-23 team through Siasia’s efforts.

“When our team played the national team, the NFF was impressed and it encouraged us to do more.

“We are making efforts to expand by going into partnerships with foreign academies.

“As soon as we discover some talents, we shall send them to the foreign academies to be groomed professionally,’’ he said. (NAN)