Beyond Limits coach reacts to National team appointment

Head coach of Beyond Limit FC in Ikenne, Olumide Ajibolade has expressed his excitement over his appointment to the technical crew of Nigeria’s under-17 squad, the Golden Eaglets.

Ajibolade, a soft-spoken tactician and youth developer from Ijoko, considers it a privilege to serve as an assistant coach to Manu Garba, who led the Eaglets to victory in the 2013 FIFA U17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Formally resuming his duties at the Eaglets’ camp in Abuja this Wednesday, Ajibolade and the team will prepare for the West African Football Union (WAFU) U17 Nations Cup qualifiers in Ghana.

This appointment marks another milestone in Ajibolade’s career, following Beyond Limit’s recent historic achievement as the first African team to win the Viareggio International Youth Cup in Italy. Additionally, just this past Monday, Ajibolade guided Beyond Limit to victory in The Creative Championship (TCC) in Lagos for the fourth consecutive time.

With previous successes including wins in the Value Jet Cup and Ogun State FA Cup, Ajibolade’s journey has been marked by continuous learning and growth. His tour of Europe in 2022 to explore new techniques in youth football has prepared him for the responsibilities he now carries in the Eaglets’ camp.

Reflecting on his appointment, Ajibolade expressed gratitude for the unexpected honor, emphasizing his commitment to giving his best to the national team. He sees representing his country as a privilege and vows not to take it for granted.

Furthermore, Ajibolade praised the vision of Beyond Limit’s owner, Kunle Soname, noting the academy’s remarkable facilities and dedication to youth development. He considers it an honor to be part of such a project, recognizing Soname’s unparalleled commitment to nurturing young talent.

Ajibolade declared, “I’ve already got the call to join the national team. It’s always a privilege to be able to represent your country. “Since the NFF have considered me worthy of that position, I’ll only say that I will give my best. I will not take it for granted.

“It’s a privilege and honour for me, but it’s not something that I expected. I did not even look forward to it. I only want to keep getting better in what I’m doing.

“I only want to be better for myself and give the best of my ability to my employer. But, like a Nigerian and a patriotic one, I’m indeed happy.

“It’s an absolute privilege for anyone to be called to represent at the national level. For sure, I am very happy.” He also stated delight with how his national team appointment coincided with a fourth conquest of The Creative Champions League (TCC) by his club.

Ajibolade added: “It’s a great honour for us to be here. Winning it four times is not a reflection of how competitive or not the league is.

“It is very competitive, and we put in a lot of work every season to bring out this platform to develop our players. We don’t step out to win it every season; we set out to be better. We set out to improve our players.

“We are happy with what we have achieved every season. You can look at our graduates every season … playing in Inter Milan, playing in the biggest clubs in the world. That’s the real gain for us.

“We at this club look forward to continuing to be competitive, and, hopefully, we will continue to do so.” he said.