Sports News of Monday, 22 April 2024

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Major European club interested in partnering Kenpong Football Academy

Chief Executive Officer of Kenpong Football Academy, Kennedy Agyepong (Kenpong). Chief Executive Officer of Kenpong Football Academy, Kennedy Agyepong (Kenpong).

Top European Clubs in France, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Croatia and Norway have expressed a strong desire to partner with the Kenpong Football Academy.

This follows a comprehensive European tour embarked on by the Chief Executive Officer of the Academy and celebrated business contractor, Mr. Kennedy Agyepong (Kenpong).

The widely respected businessman firmed up negotiations with clubs and individuals towards cooperating with them on player development as well as the enhancement of facilities at the ultra-modern Academy based in Winneba.

He mentioned in a telephone interview that for now three top European sides have sealed the deals, and would be visiting Ghana in the coming weeks.

According to Kenpong, French outfit Bastia has pledged to ship down materials for the construction of a modern astro turf pitch to complement the Academy’s top-class grass turf.

Additionally, the French side will support the project with a huge financial component. In return, Kenpong Academy will transfer budding talents to Bastia and other European sides.

Bastia’s partnership would soon manifest when their promotional materials and marketing insignia became visible at the Kenpong Academy. Their football pitch and playing kits will all advertise their unique partnership with Bastia as the French team works towards strengthening the development of Kenpong Academy.

Bastia as part of plans to augment the technical department of Kenpong Football Academy has assigned a top-class coach to head its coaching department.

“It has been a fruitful tour, very engaging, hectic, having travelled extensively, but it has been worthwhile," said Kenpong.

He added, "I met with the clubs’ CEOs and they are ready to partner us, they were impressed by the energy and determination of Kenpong and also about the fact that he had single-handedly developed a project like the Academy in Winneba.

"They are ready to travel far with us and that has urged me on to go the extra mile. They accorded me preferential treatment, including VIP seating at the Strasbourg Stadium, and I was humbled by their show of respect. I am indeed grateful for their warm gesture."

Kenpong had profuse gratitude for S. C. Bastia President, Claude Ferrandi and Technical Director, Eric Descombes for the exceptional manner they received him, opening the club’s offices to him and referring to him as one of their own. “I am really grateful for the professional manner they handled my visit. It warmed my heart greatly.”

Last year, Kenpong, together with former Black Stars Coach and Captain, Kwasi Appiah toured some clubs in Spain and France.

During the latter part of 2023, top officials of Spanish giants, Barcelona visited the Winneba-based academy and later paid a courtesy call on the Youth and Sports Minister, Mustapha Yussif.