Sudden Upsurge Of Players Make Scouting Job Laborious- Attai Udia

Sudden Upsurge Of Players Make Scouting Job Laborious- Attai Udia

By Niyi Busari

The Executive Director and Chief Scout of the 'Players Sports Management' Oslo, Norway, Attai Udia believes the continual rise in players by the day makes the job too tasking and strenous.

The Lagos born Chief Scout who attended the prestigious University of Lagos, where he studied Business Administration played football in his tender years having represented his school Festac College in Lagos Principal's Cup.

The highly respected Nigerian Football talent spotter later quits his job at a stock brokerage firm to follow his passion as he teamed up with Atta Aneke when he got his FIFA license, Udia recounts how strenuous is it to spot a talent that will be marketable amongst numerous unexciting players.

"Scouting is becoming a very difficult job nowadays," he told Family United By Football FUBF, a top loving Soccer Platform.

"Back then in Maracana Stadium in Ajegunle, you noticed real talents playing with passion, there you could watch a match and see like six exceptional players.

"Many players then were ready to play for peanuts because they derived joy in doing what they know how to do best which is very rare nowadays. It wasn't about money then but passion.

"Many young guys are now venturing into playing football because they want to make money. Some academy owners too are setting up the academy to pile up uninspiring players, even parents that are yet to see their children playing football would approach the scout to connect the child.

"When you force someone to carry out a task, you won't get the best out of it. Because of the money, a lot of players want to play.

" Sometimes l travel to like 5 states to look for an exceptional players because you always try to beat your last record. You could just watch over one thousand games without seeing the exciting ones you are looking for unlike before.

"lt is not easy but if it's something you love doing, you have to enjoy it and turn it to fun because spotting that exceptional talents is difficult nowadays probably because of influx of many people in the business or many players who feel they want to play football but not really good enough," he stated.

Attai has since formed a superb partnership with Super Agent Atta Aneke, the managers of Manchester United striker Odion Ighalo, Aaron Samuel, Leke James, Kadiri Attah, Nosa Igiebor and many others. In fact, they have not rest on their oars in securing future for more talents.