Aiyepeku: COD United Ready To Set Standards

The Executive Director of COD United FC, Sola Aiyepeku, has stated that the Lagos based team will continue to invest heavily in youth development.

 

The White Lions struggled for three seasons in a row in the Nigeria National League (NNL) but drowned in the relegation waters in their last attempt and the club's Executive Director, Sola Aiyepeku confirmed to SL10.ng that COD United FC have learned from its mistakes and won't in any way buy a slot to feature in the second level football league in Nigeria next season.

 

"I've never seen sense in buying a slot to play in the NNL. Many great teams of the world today didn't just start from the top or even when they are at the top they still can fall so for us at COD United FC we are ready to go through recycle. Let's learn from what it means to lose and let's learn from the loses.

 

"We've gone down to get things right. We went into a debate in-house on this issue but we all consented to start from we are. We were offered a slot to play in the NNL for free but we turn down the offer. We don't want to do what everyone else does instead we shall stay through doing things the right way,"Aiyepeku told SL10.ng

 

The Lagos based club, COD united FC is one of the very few football clubs in Nigeria that's managed in a well structured way, their female team, COD Ladies recently won the 2015 Lagos FA Cup (Women) while the male team won the same competition (for men) in 2013 and reached the round of 32 after defeating FC Lokoja in Akure but lost to Nasarawa United in Ilorin.

 

Sola Aiyepeku also informed that the White Lions won't set target to play in the apex league in Nigeria.

 

"We've also agreed not to set targets of get the to Premier League within a number of seasons, our goals are different now, we are focused more on youth development. Let's see players who have played through our youth ranks play for the senior team and then move on from there"

 

"Our peak was winning the the Lagos FA Cup, we are just five years old but we went astray and that has cost us a place in the NNL. I think we left what we are doing before now, developing youths to buying experience. We've gone to the lower league now and we shall see through what we stand for, developing youths"

 

"For example nine of our U18 team players are in our senior squad for next season, we might struggle at the beginning but we shall trust them and invest heavily in youth development," Aiyepku stated.

 

COD United FC couldn't survive the relegation battle during the 2014 NNL season and will play in the Nigeria Nationwide League (NNWL) in 2015.