The proprietor of Lagos-based Moonluck FC, Collins Onwuzulike, told our correspondent that the young club has a vision to transform young talents into stars. Excerpts…
What informed the decision to play in the league?
We are quite aware of the logistics and hiccups involved in playing in the league; we are trying to start from the scratch so as to learn. We want to develop the players; we want them to know what it takes to play under strict condition. Training alone is not enough, and we believe playing in the league will toughen the players more than they are now. The target is to start from the NationWide League.
How have you been managing the players in camp?
The truth is we have been treating them as our own children. We have been dealing with them the way we deal with our children. We have to instil discipline in them by setting some rules and guidelines for them while in camp. We run the place like a government where there are rules and laws, when a player goes against laid down rules, there are punishments attached. We already have a template which must be adhere to, and we have been succeeding so far.
What of their education?
In the main, we have those already out of secondary school although there are some that are still in school, four of them. And we have been helping their parents to pay their school fees. During their holidays, they join others in the camp. Those already out are based in the camp and we have been helping them as much as we can because they have chosen football as career. We don’t want them to continue roaming the streets.
How have you been coping financially?
There was a time I nearly pulled out because the expenses were getting too much for me, but I look at it that if I stop financing the club and the academy, what becomes of the boys? What will happen to their career? So, I am moving on and looking forward to when there will be breakthrough. It has affected my finances because I have been doing it singlehandedly. Apart from keeping them in camp, feed them, take care of logistics, we also take care of their health and pay them stipends at the end of the month. We hope that one day one or two organisations will believe in our dream and assist the team.
How strongly do you believe in your team?
I believe we have a strong team that can compete with those there already. In our first appearance in the Lagos FA Cup, we were eliminated at the semifinal stage after eliminating top clubs like First Bank and Spartans FC. Bridge Boys had to rely on a late penalty to defeat us in the semis, which shows we are good to go. Moonluck FC played against Ikorodu United and MFM in the past, we defeated them. So, we are not entertaining any fears ahead of the season. Let the boys go and experience competitive games to improve on their career.
Since you started, have you produced any top players?
We have our players playing in Europe. We have also produced and groomed young talented players for our leagues, both in Nigeria National League and Nigeria Professional Football League. We also have junior national team materials, those that can fit in without having problem. If only our football authorities will take their time and look at some of the academies around especially Moonluck FC, I believe they will find what they want without any stress. Moonluck has one of the best camps as far as academies in Lagos are concerned with official team bus. We try our best to make sure we provide everything the players need to keep fit and healthy.
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