Ayobami Atanda 

The NASELS Press Sports held a press conference on July 27, 2024, on Zoom at 7 pm to ask the NASELS Sports Director, Adeleye Korede (BOMA), the coach, Ibrahim Oloyede (Braimo), and the captain, Adekunle Salau (The Boss), on the level of preparation of the NASELS football team for the ongoing SEALS Cup and what to expect from the team. 

While the coach and captain held their press conference on Zoom, the Sports Director held his via WhatsApp voice notes as a result of his inability to join the call. The pressmen available questioned them about bothering issues concerning the NASELS sporting activities. 

The Challenges Facing NASELS Sports Activities 

BOMA said, “The basic challenge facing NASELS sporting activities is lack of interest and participation. Many NASELSites are not keen on sports activities, mainly because they have to read and all that.”

“Likewise, we do not have many people that are athletes. I don’t think we have up to five people who can play basketball”

“We also lack funding. It is not like we do not have funding but it is not encompassing to carry out sports activities. We do not have much equipment, unlike other departments. The only indoor game we have is Scrabble.”

Coach Braimo and Captain Adekunle Call For Support from NASELSites 

The coach and the captain of the NASELS Football Team unanimously called for support from the NASELS members. They lamented the lack of support as one of the reasons the team has not been doing well recently. 

Ibrahim said, “We had five supporters in our friendly match with LARIS. None of the press members were around. We have always played without our supporters. This does not motivate the players.” 

Adekunle stated, “The support of the fans and chants during football matches will motivate our players. I watched Philosophy’s first game; the stadium was full. If we can have this kind of support, I’m sure we are going to do well.” 

“The 400-level and 100-level students have been coming to watch our matches, but the 200-level students and 300-level students have not been coming. We need them in our matches.” 

The NASELS Executive Council Support For The Team For The SEALS Cup 

BOMA said, “They have been really helpful. They have been able to gain the interest of NASELSites. There is an executive (the president, Babatunde Adamson known as ‘Bomi) who is a player. He organises the player. The treasurer, Salau Adekunle, has done a lot; he is the one who sourced for the most funds, organising the players because he is the captain of the team. Other executives also did their part.”

Adekunle Salau also expressed himself further, “We wrote a letter to the executive council when we needed money to complete the payment of the form. They gave it to us. The executives, especially the Vice President, often came to watch our training, and the Secretary as well.”, he stated 

However, BOMA and Adekunle commented on the support of the alumni. 

BOMA told the press, “The support of the alumni has been quiet. Most of them are not around now in Ibadan. But they have helped us underneath. The former Sports Director reached out to me to ask how everything has been going on. He also helped me to gather everything, and gather the jersey that we bought.” 

Adekunle commented on why he removed the alumni from the NASELS Sports Group, “I reached out to them before I removed them because we want to add them to another group.” 

How Prepared The NASELS Football Team Is For Its Participation In The SEALS Cup 

Ibrahim said, “We are 95 percent ready. We are ready to play. I will not talk about the extent we can go in the tournament but I am sure we are ready to play. We have trained hard and played a friendly match.” 

Adekunle also commented, “We are ready for the competition. We have had a series of training and played a lot of warm-up matches (friendly). When we finish any training session, we often play a 5-aside match with ourselves or with another football team in UI.” 

“We will play each match as a final. We will go into the tournament playing each match as we have prepared and prayed for luck.” 

When asked to comment on the previous patterns and formations of the NASELS Team in previous years, Ibrahim said, “I have been a fan of the team, not a player. What I can say is that there will be a change in the pattern of play.”

On the pattern and formation issue, Adekunle asserted, “We are playing 4-2-3-1 formation. Last session, the coach made us launch every ball out. Now, we will play a high-press pattern. We will force our opponents to come out.” 

Adekunle also answered the question of whether the strength of the football players, especially the two holding midfielders (registas) could play such a pattern without portending any calamity. He replied that the team have the strength and players to play the pattern and use the formation. 

Sporting Activities To Watch Out For In NASELS This Session  

BOMA said, “We are planning for a kind of reform in this department. We are trying to include people in sports. The concept of sporting activities in UI is in our department. We are trying to include indoor games. We have done well in establishing NASELS FIT; it is an effort to keep NASELSites at their best. We hope to have a day where NASELSites can come and hang out and do sporting games.”

“About the HOD’s Cup, which is going to be held next semester, that’s the major thing to watch out for. It’s a huge tournament, although the competition was started last session by the former Sports Director. We haven’t been doing it. This will be the first edition throughout my years in UI. It’s something to watch out for. There will be prizes. It will be all-inclusive. It will not be on football alone. We are going to include other sporting activities like race, and indoor games. That is the biggest sporting event to watch out for this session.” 

Commenting About Refreshment and Medical Treatment 

Adekunle stated, “I think the SEALS Cup organisers will provide some sorts of refreshments for the team. It is part of the payment. I do not have any problems with that. I can cater for it.” 

“I watched the Philosophy match. I know that the organisers provided a medical team to give first-aid treatment for injured players. However, we are not going to depend on that.”