![\"Daily](\"http:\/\/allafrica.com\/img\/static\/publishers\/minibanners\/dailytrust180.jpg\" "\\"Visit")
<\/a><\/p>\n13 December 2011<\/p>\n
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Arsenal officials who are currently on tour of some of the stadiums in Nigeria ahead of the clubs pre-season training next summer yesterday expressed satisfaction with the facilities at the Abuja national stadium.<\/p>\n
Two officials of the London club, Mr. Angus Kinnear who is the marketing director and Mr. Paul Johnson, the manager in charge of first team travel and equipment arrived Abuja yesterday and drove straight to the stadium where they inspected facilities there.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters after the inspection, Kinnear who described the facilities he had seen as fantastic said: “we are very impressed with the arrangements put in place by the local authorities to receive us. We would be very happy to come here and play our matches”.<\/p>\n
Johnson on his part said: “We have been overwhelmed by the Arsenal fan base in Nigeria. We have more Arsenal fans in Nigerian than any other country. It is really exciting and we feel it is important we get closer to them.<\/p>\n
“We have been here for a short time. About a few hours but we have met Arsenal fans in the plane, at the airport, in the car and stadium so it has been a great reception. It will be lovely to come and reward these loyal fans.<\/p>\n
“Everybody in Arsenal is happy to be there and we are very committed. The team is moving from strength to strength. We have fantastic players playing on top of their games and they would all be here to play for the fans”.<\/p>\n
From the stadium, the delegation moved to the secretariat of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, where it was received by the General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu.<\/p>\n
The NFF scribe thanked the officials for the visit and assured them of a comfortable stay in the country now and next summer when Arsenal would be in Nigeria for the pre-season training tour.<\/p>\n
He also commended the club for giving opportunities for talented African footballers to play for it saying the club’s youth system is worthy of emulation.<\/p>\n
“Your visit reminds us of the visit of Manchester United and Portsmouth in 2009. This visit is also another strong platform for Nigerian Premier League clubs to benefit especially in the area of technical partnership”.<\/p>\n
Amadu noted that Arsenal FC has a huge followership in Nigeria just as he said there is no country in the world that can boast of fans that have greater passion for the club than Nigerians.<\/p>\n
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