Press Release- Soccer Academy 2009

“POWER YOUR VOTE” ENDS IN NIGERIA AS GHANA DECLARES 7 TEAMATES ON SATURDAY FOR CONTINUATION IN THE MTN SOCCER ACADEMY REALITY SHOW

The 24 contestants from neighbouring country Nigeria, who made it to the finals of the MTN Soccer Academy Reality TV, have had their documentaries aired on AIT TV in Nigeria from Friday the 18th of September to the 24th of September, 2009. This afforded the Nigerian viewers the opportunity to make an informed decision on whoever they chose to vote for and power their seven (7) teammates into the house. The Power your vote episodes entailed all the actions from the 1st and 2nd rounds of football and Individual Skills Test screening, where contestants were grilled in; Ball control during match play and performing the 4-turn maneuvers, Speed in the 50m dash, Shooting Accuracy, Head & Foot Ball juggling skills, Football intelligence, Passing and Team play during the 5 aside games. This was followed by scenes from their performance at the personality tests that tested participants in general knowledge, football, current affairs and basic IQ test.

The 24 contestants, who were chosen, were full of youthful exuberance and displayed outstanding soccer skills and dexterity and were the crème dele crème of the 5000 who were screened. There are two females among the 24 selected who had to show unique soccer skills, abilities and talents to earn a place in the 24 available slots. They are in the person of Kalu Chika Ugochi 20, who is not affiliated to any football club and Obike Ifunanya 20 who play’s her football trade with Intercontinental FC in Lagos.

Coach Sunday led the Technical Team of Coaches made up of the top Nigerian Coaches and Ex-Nigerian Internationals including Joe Erico Former Super Eagles Goal Keeper and Former assistant coach of the Super Eagles, Henry Nwosu, youngest member of Nigeria's victorious 1980 African Nations Cup Super Eagles squad and an assistant Coach to Samson Siasia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics where Nigeria won the silver medal and Ex Coach for the Nigerian U-17 team in 2008 to April 2009, Okonkwo Tetteh ex-Nigerian International and Former Coach of the Super Falcons and a lot more, had a tough job selecting 24 contestants out of the 5,000 footballers that were screened. Coach Sunday when asked his impressions said it had been a difficult task selecting the 24, as some very good footballers had to be screened out, but he was happy that the several scouts that thronged the pitch of the Union Bank Sporting Club discovered a lot of talents. He added that he was sure to have a complete team, as unlike Ghana where there were a lot of midfielders among the 24 finalists, Nigeria produced more strikers and defenders, so teams that will faced the Teammates should be ready for very stiff opposition and viewers of Metro TV and AIT will be sold great football.

The Judges of the personality Test made of Nigerians and led by Mike Katahena Metro TV’s Presenter of the Sports News, also had an interesting timing grilling the very confident Nigerian Contestants, and Mike in his comments said that viewers were in for a pleasant surprise during the 85 days in the house as there will be a very good blend of characters in the MTN Soccer Academy House. The Screening Grounds in Surelele was set agog by the MTN Marketing team as they engaged patrons and the contestant to music and some promotions and entertainment programmes that got them interacting directly and experiencing the MTN brand and in the process winning some great MTN Prizes and souvenirs Medical tests for the contestants have ended in Nigeria, and with the results as well as the SMS voting and outcome from the screening Nigeria was also ready to select its 7 te4amates.

All 24 Nigerians are eager to come to Ghana, but it is rather unfortunate only 7 of them will be privileged to be here in the motherland, Ghana. Ghana has become the in thing for the Nigeria, especially the youth, as such the prize for the highest texter for power your vote, was a trip to Ghana to watch the induction ceremony. And this got the Nigerian viewers texting.

In the intervening time, the outdooring of the final 7 teammates from Ghana and Nigeria to enter the Academy House will be telecast this Saturday 26th September, 2009 on Metro TV at 7:30pm live and the Nigerian 7 will also be outdoored live on AIT on Monday the 28th September.

The 14 teammates which comprise 7 Ghanaians and 7 Nigerians will be officially introduced to the general public during the Nigeria Independence Day celebration here, in Ghana on 1st October, 2009.