Joel Ajayi
German hockey expert Michael Berman has expressed strong confidence in the future of hockey in Nigeria, pledging technical support to aid the sport’s growth through coach development and capacity building.
Speaking during the ongoing 2026 Hockey Super League (HSL), Berman said he was committed to contributing his vast experience to help strengthen hockey in Nigeria, particularly in the area of technical education for coaches.
The former head coach of Germany women’s national field hockey team noted that he was impressed by the quality of play and the passion displayed by Nigerian players, especially in the men’s category.
“My name is Michael Berman. I’m from Germany and I am the former head coach of the women’s team of Germany,” he said.
“I’m here to support Nigerian hockey with my knowledge, and I will try to help develop some coaches. I have seen great matches today and a lot of enthusiasm. I’m looking forward to the next day.”
Berman explained that his visit to Nigeria is part of an international sports development initiative sponsored by the Federal Foreign Office>, aimed at deploying sports experts to African nations to support grassroots and elite sports development.
According to him, Nigeria is the first country on the programme, with planned visits to Egypt and Ghana in the coming weeks.
“This is an initiative from the German Foreign Affairs, and they offered African countries the opportunity to host experts in sports. The first step is Nigeria. I will also visit Egypt and Ghana in the coming weeks,” he stated.
Berman further revealed that he was particularly impressed by some players in Nigeria’s men’s team and is eager to observe the women’s category, given his extensive background in women’s hockey.
“I have only seen today’s matches, and I was quite impressed by some players in the men’s team,” he said.
“Hopefully, I can watch the women’s matches tomorrow as well. As mentioned, I’m a former women’s coach, so I’m really looking forward to seeing their level.”
His visit is expected to boost coaching standards and technical development in Nigerian hockey as stakeholders intensify efforts to elevate the sport both locally and internationally.
