Beyond Limits Football Academy of Ikenne – the feeder team of NPFL side Remo Stars featured in 2023 Federation Cup and impressed even with their minnows tag. Despite losing their Round of 64 match 4-0 to Nigeria National League side, Warri Wolves, at Awka City Stadium on Wednesday, April 26, they will continue to hold their heads high.
Parading school children, the team gave a good account of themselves but, Warri Wolves’ experience prevailed.
Also Read: ‘Our Target In 2023 Federation Cup is Continental Ticket’ –Warri Wolves Coach, Atune
In this exclusive interview with Completesports.com, Beyond Limits Football Academy coach, Ajibolade Olumide, reiterates the objective of the academy team’s participation in the 2023 Federation Cup.
Interview By Chigozie Chukwuleta, in Awka.
Excerpts……
Ajibolade Olumide
Completesports.com: How would you appraise your Round of 64 encounter with Warri Wolves?
Olumide: We came here [Awka City Stadium] with an objective. The objective was to first of all put these boys in a very difficult competitive situation as you can see these are small boys, then observe and give them the tools to see how they can compete. Compete to win, but the objective is to compete to grow, to develop. But if they win at the end of it, good. If they don’t, they must learn things. And l think if we look at the context of why we are here, l think we have achieved our aim.
They have learnt from the experience. They have tried to adapt to the weather, to the pitch, to a new environment. They had never been to Anambra State before. All these things are what we wanted them to experience at this young age so that by the time they get older, they are more mature, and more used to it and it will be better for us.
Beyond Limits Football Academy
What exactly would you say you have learnt from this particular match as the coach?
I think for example, from the goals that we conceded, if we analyse them one after the other, we will see moments of individual defensive errors. Like centre-backs not maintaining the lines, not knowing when to step up, the low courage in defence which they exploited in the second goal and we conceded two goals in transitions.
Warri Wolves vs Beyond Limits Football Academy at Awka City Stadium
Every time they [Warri Wolves] tried to score when we lost the ball, the gaps between the team in defence and attack were just too much. And so they have to learn it.
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I am looking, l am taking notes, and all the coaches are taking notes to see how we can get better. Most important is the players recognizing these mistakes. For us, it is just an experience. It is beautiful.
Beyond the FA Cup, what is the dream of Beyond Limits Football Academy?
Our objective is to continue to produce players that can become professionals, either in our first team or in Europe. And we are not distracted by results as it is because when you get to Remo Stars then the result is important, but here, it is just about learning.
We had fourteen years olds on the pitch that played against Warri Wolves. It is expected that Warri Wolves should win. But we tried to compete. Every time any of the players tried to do something, they were learning something valuable. If they play against another Academy, you will see a different result. I think that for us, the objective was to just get better and we will get better as we continue moving forward.
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COMMENTS
Did warri wolves just played against U15 and can not win 11-0? No wonder our local sides are mediores in the continent. I need to search for clips of Beyond limits this is insane!!!
@Chima E Samuels.Did you play football as a youth?I mean club football?Because if you did you will understand one of the most repeated saying in the world of sports “If you’re good enough,you’re old enough”
Yes I did and even played a in a friendly match against a national side preparing for a tournament. I will leave it here….. my example if comparable is likened to Newcastle or Burnley when in division 2 even though Newcastle has once played in continental games now coming to win on by 4 goals against Brentford u15 team. Yes if you are good enough but the distance of football development and experience is just too much. Let’s be honest Naija local clubs are not good enough because this will not happen in any serious nation as the score line will be humiliating unlike this 4goals score line. Don’t forget Warri Wolves once played in Caf competitions just a few years ago before their relegation to division 2.
Beyond limits is the feeders team of Remo united. They play in the U15 league and are one of the producers of top talents in the country that will be of help to our u17 and 20 teams. Check their clips and you’ll marvel but it’s not enough excuse for a Warri wolves to score only 4 against U15 team lol.