RAJI Olatunji Yekini, the coach of Alimosho Football Club, has said that he does not believe that grassroots football is not profitable.
Rather, he said that sports organisations of startups need to have a "clear direction of how they want to operate."
Yekini, in a socialiga interview, explained that for the Alimosho FC, the grassroot club "has a structure that allows it to run like a business. I don’t believe grassroots football is not profitable, I only believe sports organisations or startups need to have a clear direction of how they want to operate.
"Alimosho FC as a brand is run by very intelligent young guys and ladies, and with the energy they put in branding, marketing, the soccer schools, publishing and other commercial endeavours, we have been able to stay afloat and we continue to grow."
He further revealed: "A good instance of a sustainable model for me and my fellow coaches has been the management’s efforts in creating different soccer school centres in different communities around Alimosho. So for equipment, the club continues to invest in this, not just for the Elite squad, but to service the training needs of the children in our programs.
"Because we belong to a very progressive club that has male and female teams, the direction is quite clear. For the male team, the focus is on intense training and marketability for the bigger leagues abroad. For the female team, it’s about creating a viable atmosphere where female footballers can flourish and earn a living even here in Nigeria as they dominate the female football scene."
