The organisers of the 2nd FCV Gladiator Football Camp have unveiled the coaches and mentors for the football clinic taking place at Grange School in Lagos.
The five-day camp is organised by Dynaspro Promotion Limited in collaboration with FCV International Academy in the UK with support from the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC).
The coaching crew from UK-based FCV International Academy will be led by former Leicester City star Grant Brown.
Brown joined FCV International Football Academy in 2016 and has since assumed the role of Head of Football. In this capacity, Brown oversees the comprehensive football program at FCV, assuming the dual responsibility of coaching the CAT 1 squad, competing in the Association of Colleges Premier League—the highest level of youth football outside the professional game in England.
Brown’s playing career boasts a remarkable 18-year stint as a defender, accumulating nearly 600 appearances. His journey started at Leicester City, followed by 13-years at Lincoln City, notably, becoming Lincoln City’s highest appearance holder, amassing an impressive 407 league outings.
Post-retirement, Brown dedicated an additional decade to Lincoln, contributing significantly as a coach for both the Youth and first team. This included two noteworthy spells as caretaker manager. Possessing a UEFA A License, Brown leverages his extensive experience and knowledge to extract the best from FCV’s emerging talents.
Also in the coaching crew is Ashley Foulger. Since joining FCV in 2017, Ashley Foulger has served as the academy’s steadfast goalkeeping coach and is a vital part of the Football Department.
Transitioning from a playing career which saw him represent Ipswich Town, Northampton Town, Peterborough United, and MK Dons, Foulger redirected his passion into coaching, amassing over a decade of invaluable experience.
Currently working towards his UEFA B Licence, Foulger’s coaching journey has taken him across the globe, shaping talents in Finland, Hong Kong, Albania, Netherlands, Belgium, and Scotland.
Liam Merrickis another coach expected in Lagos and he joined FCV back in 2018, transitioning from his homeland of Australia to pursue his passion for football in England. His debut season saw him play a pivotal role in FCV’s triumph in the National Alliance League, a feat accompanied by the prestigious title of Player of the Year for the 2019/20 season.
Following a successful tenure as a player, Merrick bid farewell to FCV in 2021, embarking on a new chapter in his football journey by transitioning to semi-professional football in England, where he now proudly represents Coventry United.
Merrick re-joined FCV in 2022, this time as a coach. Currently, he is the lead coach for Cat 4 squad, bringing with him a wealth of experience and knowledge.
The mentoring team will be led by former Super Eagles coach midfielder Mutiu Adepoju. Adepoju is a former professional footballer who played mostly as an attacking midfielder. He spent most of his career in Spain, amassing La Liga totals of 175 games and 22 goals over the course of seven seasons and representing mainly Racing de Santander and Real Sociedad.
Adepoju was a member of the Nigeria U20 team that played in the 1989 FIFA World Youth Championship. His brace against the United States (which featured legendary American goalkeeper Kasey Keller in goal) in the semi-finals ensured a final against Portugal, a 2–0 defeat.
Adepoju went on to collect 48 caps for the full side, with six goals. He made his debut against Togo in August 1990, but his breakthrough came during the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations, and he helped his nation win the next continental edition.
Adepoju was Nigeria international for 12 years and appeared for the country in three World Cups and as many Africa Cup of Nations.
Another mentor expected in the camp is Deji Omotoyinbo. Omotoyinbo is one of Nigeria’s finest and most respected Sports Media personalities. He has in three decades built a solid and consistent reputation as a first-class Sportscaster, hosting top quality Radio/TV shows for a number of top-notch corporate organizations. He is also the creative force behind some of the best Sports Content in the Nigerian Media Space down the years.
His major attribute is an ability to create quality Sports Content and is a contributor to major International TV networks like Supersports, CTGN, TVC and Channels; has trained and mentored many young upcoming Sportscasters and organises training seminars and recently launched an Online Sportscasting Course.
Author of Basics of Sportscasting and is a Facilitator/Resource Person at the Lagos Business School’s Sports Business Management Program. He was recently appointed News and Content Director at AFROSPORT TV, Nigeria’s first 24 Hour Sports Free to Air Channel
He is the Convener and Project Director for SPORT IMPACT AFRICA