A former Super Eagles defender, Taribo West has slammed the Rivers State Government for not tapping the experience of ex-sportsmen from the state to develop sports.The former AC Milan centre-back, who hails from Rivers, said the government of Governor Rotimi Amaechi has turned its back on ex-internationals who would have been able to bring glory to sports in the state.West, who also played for Inter Milan and Bayer Leverkusen, said he could help use football fight the crisis in the region, adding that he had an arrangement in place to bring to the state big clubs in Europe during the offseason to boost the football pedigree of the state.The former footballer turned pastor said, I have a lot to bring to the state. There are lots of crisis in the Niger-Delta which we can use football to stop.I have plans to bring international competitions to the state. I can negotiate with big teams like Milan, Inter and even Leverkusen to come to Rivers during the offseason, rather than going to China or JapanThese big clubs can start their academies here as well.They (Rivers government) can use people like us to bring sports investment to the state but they wont. Rather its Taraba State that is using me to develop their sports.The Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games gold medallist added that he was ready to contribute his quota to football development in Rivers and the entire country, saying he started from the grass roots.Its my wish and that of every retired sportsman to give back to where he started from. I am from Rivers and it will be a thing of joy for me to see the state produce even better players than me. And I believe that is where I can help to groom these footballers because I played at their level and went further to play at the highest level. I know how to handle them to become better and world-class players, West added.
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