OYO GOVERNOR'S CUP: EX JULIUS BERGER PLAYER, TAIWO ODEBUNMI REVEALS SECRET BEHIND BISHOP PHILIPS' SUCCESS, LAUDS AVM ADEKUNLE

By Oluseyi Adedire

Twitter/Instagram: @oyosportsnews

FB: Oyo Sports Update

Former Ekiti State Football Association Chairman and Nigeria Football Federation member, Chief Paul Taiwo Odebunmi has lavished praise on Bishop Phillips Academy players and also revealed the secret behind winning the recently concluded 2024 Oyo State Governor's Cup.

The Competition, an initiative of the Schools Sports Foundation, headed by Yomi Elijah, a UK trained Football Coach and former Coach of Remo Stars, Lobi Stars, ABS FC, Kogi United was sponsored by Peculiar Ultimate Concerns, and Olafiranye Sports Foundation with the support of Oyo State Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth and Sports.

At the grand finale held at the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba. Bishop Phillips Academy walloped Bashorun High School by four goals to nil with Charles Adeniyi scoring a brace and one goal apiece from Habeeb Babawale and Lasisi Babatunde. Chief Odebunmi, a member of the Old Student Association and student of 1975 set told OyoSportsNews that solid preparations and closed camping helped the team to emerge champions of the competition.

"Before the start of the competition, we've discoverd talents among them and as the vice president, which I happened to be the captain of football team during our set [1975] I know a competition of this magnitude requires good preparation. Thanfully, the president of the Old Students Association, Air Vice Marshal Gbolahan Fatai Adekunle, a passionate football fan and lover of grassroot football decided that we should take full responsibility for the team. The selected players were camped before the competition and we watched thier training session, reviewed thier activities and followed thier progress to the final."

"If you have watched our games before the final, we adopted many game plan and formation which helped us in tough matches. It was a though competition right from the zones level but we thank God our effort paid off and we can all see the result today."

"I want to congratulate the players [students] for giving thier best at the final, we can all see the smiles, atmosphere and feelings as champions. I also want to thank Air Vice Marshal Gbolahan Fatai Adekunle for his financial support and commitment to the players. The 'Adekunle Warriors' have done it and we are not relenting come next edition."

Chief Odebunmi, a former Julius Berger player also assured of developmental programmes for the students and commedned the sponsors of the competition.

Meaning, the principal of Bishop Phillips Academy, Pastor Lekan Alabi has lauded the Old Student Association under the president, Air Vice Marshal Gbolahan Fatai Adekunle, for the efforts put in place in achieving the new feat. Pastor Alabi said the old student forum deserved all credits for winning the competition.

“I am very happy and delighted in the way they played in the final and I am very happy. We thank God because we have the old students who were behind the success because they have been the one giving us supports right from the onset and they have promised that they are going to ensure that we return the trophy to Bishop Phillips Academy and that’s what we are seeing now, we really appreciate them, they are the one behind the success.”