The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Imenger

  • Imenger relishes Lobi Stars away draw

    Imenger relishes Lobi Stars away draw

    Lobi Stars Team Manager, Barnabas Imenger has attributed his side’s 1-1 draw against Rangers international to God’s unfailing love on the team.

    Ocheme Edoh scored his first goal for Rangers, but the home team’s joy was cut short when Kingsley Eduwo equalised for Lobi Stars. The game ended 1-1 despite Lobi finishing with 10 men after Sunday Akleche was sent off for a second yellow card offence.

    In a chat with SportingLife, Imenger said the technical crew led by Godwin Uwua got the team’s selection right while he heaped praises on the players for playing according to match plan.

    “Before the match, we prayed to God to deliver us from conceding last minute goals and God answered our prayers. The boys played according to the  plans. The teamwork gave us the game and the coaches got the selection right and I pray it continues as we push for glory in the remaining matches,” Imenger told SportingLife.

  • Imenger craves for Lobi Stars improvement

    Imenger craves for Lobi Stars improvement

    • Urges Uwua to carry assistants along

    Lobi Stars Team Manager, Barnabas Imenger has called for an improvement in the team.

    The ex-international stated this in the wake of the team’s 3-0 defeat to Kano Pillars in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) clash on Sunday.

    lmenger praised his boys for their performances so far but charged them to step up their fighting spirit.

    “Our results in the last couple of matches were disappointing. We dropped points that we were not supposed to drop  and the worst was that we were knocked out of the Federation Cup,” Imenger said.

    He expressed satisfaction with the commitment and dedication of the technical crew led by coach Godwin Uwua but charged them to be more united.

    “I expect the head coach, who is  experienced to continue carrying his assistants along as he is presently doing, more importantly in the area of  the team’s selection; placement of players in the rightful positions as well as to do consultations with the bench during matches for rightful substations,” he added.

    lmenger believes that the head coach being an ambitious and listening coach will take note of these observations and work on them to achieve success with the team as the league is reaching its most important phase.

    “I’ve known him to be a fighter, who has overcome difficult situations at difficult times. I know the team is going through a trying time and I believe the coach will find a lasting solution to it.”

  • Imenger vows to bounce back

    Imenger vows to bounce back

    Nigeria international Nanen Imenger is confident to rediscover his form and lift Lobi Stars to achieve its set target for the season.

    The former Kwara United forward is currently working hard under coach Godwin Uwua’s guidance to regain his full fitness.

    Imenger Junior appealed to Lobi Stars supporters for patience and understanding, saying after darkness comes light.

    When contacted his father, an ex-international and Lobi Stars Team Manager, Banarbas Imenger, who has assumed full control of his son’s managerial role, said he will always show him support and do his best in advising him on his career.

    “It takes great efforts to be a successful footballer home or abroad. He is trying very hard to regain his full fitness and I know sooner than later he will be at his best for the club and the national team.

    “I thank the club and our fans for the understanding and I want him (Nanem) to know that there is time like this in everyone’s life. So when it comes you have to accept it and move on. He has quality and I am confident that he will surely bounce back to his best,” Imenger told SportingLife.

     

  • 3SC, Lobi will be a cracker in Ibadan- Imenger

    3SC, Lobi will be a cracker in Ibadan- Imenger

    The Team Manager of Lobi Stars, Barnabas Imenger has expressed relief at the opening day fixture of the 2015/2016 season which pitted them with 3SC reiterating that the tie would be a cracker in Ibadan.

    The Pride of Benue have alleged raided some of the players of the Oluyole Warriors but Imenger in a chat with SportingLife noted that Lobi would like to start the season well hence their resolve to storm Ibadan with their best legs so as to commence the season well.

    Imenger said that an impressive start against 3SC will no doubt set the tone for a brighter season devoid of relegation battle of previous seasons.

  • 2016 CHAN QUALIFICATION: Imenger congratulates players, Salisu

    2016 CHAN QUALIFICATION: Imenger congratulates players, Salisu

    • Craves for more quality players
    • Wishes Oliseh quick recovery

    Lobi Stars Team Manager Banabars Imenger has praised home-based players for qualifying for  the 2016 African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Rwanda.

    The Nigerian side forced Burkina Faso to a 0-0 draw in the second leg of the qualifying tie at the Stade du 4 Août, Ouagadougou on Sunday to book a place in the championship.

    The first leg in Port Harcourt a week ago ended 2-0 in favour of the home-based Eagles.

    Coach Salisu Yusuf led the Eagles to Ouagadougou in the absence of the team’s coach Sunday Oliseh who missed the trip due to illness.

    Imenger in a chat with SportingLife expressed confidence in the ability of the team to win the competition  next year.

    “Congratulations to the players and the coaches for making Nigeria proud. They have scaled the first hurdle and they should go ahead to win the cup,” Imenger told SportingLife.

    Imenger charged the coaches to find time to monitor league matches and discover more talents that can help the team achieve their target.

    “It is a new team and now that they have qualified they should prepare well for the tournament. The competition is in February and they have enough time to work on the area where the team is weak and strong.

    “Salisu Yusuf is a local coach and he knows the players very well. He should look for more players in the league. They should not rely on managers or coaches, match commissioners for the selection of players. The coaches should go to the league matches and watch the players .

    “They should not be sentimental about  the selection of players. When they rely on recommendation of people to pick players it is laziness, they should try and choose the players that will help them achieve their target.”

    The ex-international also prayed for the quick recovery of the team’s head coach Sunday Oliseh.

    “I wish him well. I pray that he will recover very quick and come back to continue his job.”

  • Imenger: Lobi aiming for three points

    Imenger: Lobi aiming for three points

    Lobi Stars’ Team Manager, Barnabas Imenger has revealed to SportingLife that the Makurdi side will be aiming for their first victory of the season when they face Sharks of Port Harcourt in a Match Day Four tie on Sunday.

    Lobi have played three matches which all ended in draws and Imenger in a brief chat with SportingLife said the club would strive for their first maximum points of the season in their next clash with the Blue Angels.

    Imenger told SportingLife: “We are aiming for a win. We know we do not have any easy match again but we want to secure our first home win and we won’t allow Sharks the luxury of toying with our chances of remaining relevant on the league table.”

    The former Super Eagles’ midfielder also informed SportingLife that his son, Nanen has resumed light training from the injury he sustained recently while Terkaa Melai, team goalkeeper, who got an ankle injury recently, has not recovered from the complaint.

  • Imenger: Lobi eyeing continental ticket

    • Says the Makurdi side are better than El Kanemi

    Lobi Stars have boasted that they are a now better than last season.

    They have vowed to beat El Kanemi on Sunday in a Glo Premier League Week 26 tie so that they could move up the league table than their present ninth position with 37 points from 25 games.

    El Kanemi grabbed a surprise 1-1 draw at Katsina Ala after a late rally forced a share of the spoils but Lobi’s Team Manager, Barnabas Imenger informed SportingLife that situation won’t be the same this term.

    He recalled that same El Kanemi beat them 2-0 during the first stanza in a Week 6 encounter in Kano but that they were consoled with the fact that they held possession and had many scoring chances which they couldn’t convert then.

    Imenger, who was former Super Eagles’ striker, hinted that a much improved Lobi Stars would ensure that maximum points are theirs on Sunday with their eyes still on earning a continental ticket at the end of the season.

    “It was a drawn game last season but we can’t judge last season with what is obtainable presently. We have a very improved squad now and we are sure of getting all points against El Kanemi Warriors on Sunday.

    “They beat us 2-0 in Kano but they would attest to the fact that we held ball possession more and had scoring chances too which we were unable to bury then. We have corrected our mistakes and a renewed Lobi would beat El Kanemi on Sunday,” Imenger told SportingLife.

  • Lobi Stars are playing under pressure — Imenger

    Lobi Stars are playing under pressure — Imenger

    Lobi Stars Team Manager, Bernabas Imenger, has revealed that his boys are finding it difficult to play at home due to pressure from their fans.

    The Markurdi-based side played a 1-1 draw against Sunshine Stars in a Week 11 Glo Premier League match at the Emmanuel Akume Atongo Stadium at Katsina Ala on Wednesday.

    Sunshine Stars striker, Dele Olorundare, scored the opener for the visitors in the 10th minute before Ukeyima Akombo got an equalizer for the home side in the 24th minute.

    Lobi Stars created many beginning chances but failed to convert them. The coach evans Ogenyi-tutored side had another chance to pick three points in the match when the center referee awarded a penalty kick-kick for them in the 80th minute but Lobi’s captain, Bunde Moses wasted the opportunity as he shot into the waiting hands of Sunshine goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa.

    Imenger told SportingLife said his boys were anxious to deliver which he thought affected their performances against the Akure Gunners.

    “The clubs are finding it difficult to play at home now due to the pressure from home fans. We deserved the victory against Sunshine Stars but the players were under pressure to deliver. We created 18 chances but we could only convert one. We even had another opportunity to score but our captain missed penalty. We played better but they were playing to impress and they don’t want to make mistakes,” Imenger told SportingLife.

    The ex-international added that the players need to forget pressure and be patient to achieve results.

    “We have told them to be patient and forget pressure from fans if they really want to get it right at home. They need to play their normal game and forget external pressure.”

  • Keshi banks on Uzoenyi, Imenger to destroy Zimbabwe

    Keshi banks on Uzoenyi, Imenger to destroy Zimbabwe

    • Shuns interviews section with journalists

    SportingLife has scooped that Super Eagles chief coach, Stephen Keshi had told strikers Ejike Uzoenyi and Barnabas Imenger that he is depending on them to run down the silky Zimbabweans in today’s match.

    The coach sounded it to his boys that after being ousted by Ghana in the semi-finals, he is not expecting to lose the third place match to Zimbabwe because he sees winning the third place as a good compensation to the Nigerians.

    Keshi had cleverly avoided any interviews with the journalists covering the Africa Nations Championship as he openly begged them to give him room to do his work as he targets the bronze medal of the tournament.

    He told some of the journalists that besieged the evening training session held at one of the training pitches of the Cape Town Stadium where Zimbabwe were using the other end to train too.

    “You guys need to excuse me to finish the training session because tomorrow’s (today’s) match is very important for us. So you guys just need to excuse us for now,” he begged.

    The Media Officer of the team, Ben Alaiya promised the Nigerian journalists covering the tournament that he would ensure that the chief coach talks to them after the training session, but Keshi went straight into the waiting bus and was driven away with his players.