The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL)

  • NPFL: Heartland to unveil Ilechukwu on Monday

    Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side Heartland have announced the appointment of Fidelis Ilechukwu as their new coach ahead of the new season.

    The announcement by the Naze Millionaires has put to rest speculations around the future of the erstwhile MFM manager, who opted for a new challenge after 13 years in charge of the Olukoya Boys.

    According to a short message on the Heartland Twitter handle, the details and unveiling of Ilechukwu will be done on Monday.

    “OFFICIAL! Fidelis Ilechukwu takes over as Head Coach of the club Details to be revealed later with Official Unveiling slated for Monday” the club wrote.

    Read Also: Enyimba crowned NPFL champions

    Speaking with the media moments after his deal was made public; Ilechukwu said it was an emotional day for him.

    ‘It’s a new dawn in my career and my heart is filled with mixed feelings. Mixed feelings for me because I am leaving MFM where I was the head coach for 13 years, so it’s an emotional day for me,” Ilechukwu noted.

    “I want to thank MFM FC and the church itself for believing in me and trusting me. I am forever grateful to them and they will always have a special place in my heart.”

    Goal.Com

     

    Read Also: Heartland fans optimistic as club unveils Fidelis Ilechukwu

  • Sunusi dedicates NPFL Best Marksman award to mentor

    The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) highest scorer in the concluded 2019 season Ibrahim Sunusi has dedicated his award to Ibrahim Usman Oguns, whom he claimed contributed immensely to his decision to play football.

    Sunusi beat Mfon Udoh of Akwa United on disciplinary ground after both were tied at 10 goals each at the end of the regular season and the striker who expressed happiness at his emergence as the best marksman in the league quickly offered to dedicate the accolade to his football father, Oguns who is the head coach of the Ministry of Sports,

    Nasarawa State football team and the head of Nigeria Referee Association in Keffi, Nasarawa State.

    “I am thrilled to be declared the highest scorer in the league in just my second season in the NPFL,” Sunusi told NationSport.

    “I know I am just starting and I will like to dedicate this award to my football father, Ibrahim Usman Oguns who has done a good job to ensure that I take football as a career. He did a lot to ensure that I become a better player and all that I am today was due to him.

    Read Also: Oladapo seeks ‘glory’ at NPFL playoffs

    “I will continue to work harder and I must thank my teammates at Nasarawa United, the coaches, and the management for the support offered to me to ensure that I work under a good environment. I was able to score 10 goals this season and playing all the 22 games without missing anyone.

    “I could have gone throughout the season without a booking if not for the yellow card I collected against Kada City after I went to complain to the referee who gave Kada City a controversial penalty in the dying minutes of the game. We lost the game 1-2 in Kaduna.”

  • ‘MFM FC ready to pull weight in FA Cup’

    The Media Officer of the Lagos-based MFM FC, Olawale Quadri, says the team will ensure it pulls its weight in the Federation Cup coming up later in the year.

    Quadri spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday.

    He said that the current excellent run of the team in the abridged 2018/2019 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) would be nothing if not replicated in the FA Cup.

    Quadri said that though the club had dominated the Lagos State FA Cup in the last four years, the club was yet to have the desired campaign in the national FA challenge, which they sought to address.

    “We have been dominating the state FA Cup, wining it back to back to back; yet, we have yet to have the desired campaign in the National FA Cup, this we will seek to address.

    “Firstly, we will start our preparation with the state FA Cup, because we also have some good sides playing in the competitions as well, so we will take it one step after the other.

    “The present team is young and ready for any challenge that may come their way, which has been exhibited in our campaign in the league so far,” he said.

    Quadri said that MFM’s good run in the league would amount to nothing if the team failed to transfer it to the oldest cup competition in the country.

    “Our good run in the league will count for nothing if we do not have a good campaign in the National FA Cup; we want to surpass our previous achievement.

    “MFM FC has a rich football culture because the owners of the team will not settle for anything less than the best, and that is the philosophy of the team.

    Read Also: MFM FC crash out of CAF Champions League

    “We want the best for the owners, our fans and the state; the team will be adequately prepared to face any opposition when the FA Cup starts; others should watch out.

    “Our underwhelming results in the previous campaign will be compensated with strong determination for a good result this year,” he said.

    NAN reports that MFM FC sits on top of the Group A of the Abridge NPFL table with 23 points from 13 matches, winning seven games, recording two draws and having. four losses.

    MFM, also known as the Olukoya Boys, have emerged winners of the State FA Cup four consecutive times since their promotion to the elite division of the league.

    NAN

  • Enyimba must fall in Agege, says MFM FC Coach

    Lagos-based MFM FC head coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu on Saturday said that his team would not target anything short of victory against Enyimba International of Aba on Sunday.

    He said that anything short of that would amount to failure ahead of this weekend’s game in the Match Day 13 of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Group A leaders will host seven-time NPFL champions of the top-flight at the Soccer Temple, Agege Stadium.

    According to Ilechukwu, the team will be looking forward to recording their first-ever win against the Peoples Elephant.

    Read Also: MFM FC claim away draw against Real Bamako of Mali

    “Enyimba’s game is very important to us you know, we have yet to beat them before in our home and away games.

    “It’s a game we must win to remain at the top. We know their antics, we know their strength and we know everything about Enyimba FC. I can tell you their possible line-up.

    “Our former players, Austine Oladapo, Abdulrahman Bashir, Thomas Zenke, Onuwa Chukwuka and Stanley Okorom may likely start for them, but we have prepared. So, anything less than three points is failure.

    “We have prepared for the game and we are waiting for them, he said in a statement by the club’s Media Officer, Olawale Quadri.

    In spite the visitors impressive unbeaten streak in recent matches this season; Ilechukwu believes his charges will at the end of the match put the Aba-based team to the sword.

    “I am aware that Enyimba is a technical side and also of their unbeaten run. We are number one on the log on merit and we are no push over, so come Sunday Enyimba must fall,’’ he said.

    NAN

  • Yobe Desert fans force referees, officials to refund bribe

    One of the FIFA graded referees (name withheld) and some match officials had a dreadful time in Damaturu after fans of the home team, Yobe Desert Football Club forced them to return money allegedly collected as bribe to favour their team in the last home match defeat to Akwa United FC.

    The match which was played on Thursday last week saw Desert fans fuming with anger after the game as the referee denied them a last minute equalizer.

    It took police tear gas to disperse the irate crowd at the stadium as many of the fans wanted the head of the referee on the gallows.

    Investigation however revealed that some of the fans followed the referees and other match officials to their hotel rooms and collected N1 million cash from them for denying them victory at home after collecting money from the club.

    Former chairman of the Supporters Club, who is popularly known as Yellow and some of the fans who spoke with our correspondent confirmed the cash refund from the match officials.

    Read Also: NPFL: Abia Warriors whip Yobe Desert Stars 3-1

    “We followed them to the hotel and collected the some of N900, 000 cash from the referee, his linesmen and other match officials. We asked them to bring back our money since they denied us victory. The referee rushed to his room and brought out N300, 000 in an envelope. The two linesmen brought N200,000 each. The match commissioner with two other people returned  N100,000 each. We collected all this in cash. The other one hundred thousand was yet to be delivered to the owner making it one million naira,’ one of the fans informed.

    Our correspondent gathered that the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL)  is characterized with allegations of bribery between clubs and match officials, a situation that has remain one of the biggest headache of the League Management Company (LMC), the regulators of the NPFL.

    The Nation checks also gathered that in most cases, the match officials are accommodated and their feeding and transportation at the expense of the home team all in an effort to get favorable officiating.

     

  • I expect a new beginning — MFM Coach

    Head Coach of Lagos-based MFM FC, Fidelis Ilechukwu, says the 2018/2019 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season will be a fresh start for his wards.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Olukoya Boys will kick-start their 2018/2019 season against the Peoples Elephant (Enyimba) in an opening fixture of Group A of the new NPFL season.

    The Peoples Elephant will host Olukoya Boys at the Enyimba International Stadium in Aba on Sunday.

    Ilechukwu told NAN although his men would  be guests to the  seven-time NPFL champions, he hoped to start the season on a good note.

    Read Also:MFM drags Sahara Reporters, publisher to US court

     

    “I hope my team can make a huge statement from the opening day contest.

    “It’s going to be a fresh start for us playing against Enyimba Football Club – one of the best in the Nigerian league

    “MFM Football Club is a good side as well, although I know it’s going to be difficult because we lost a lot of our players to other clubs.

    “Last season, we lost eight players but the players we have now are young and as well new players.

    “I know it’s going to be a little bit difficult but we will do everything possible to get a good result,’’  Ilechukwu said.

    This meeting will be the sixth between the Olukoya Boys and the Aba-based side. Enyimba claimed the available three points in the last fixture last season while the remaining four ended in a draw.

    The MFM FC gaffer said he was not perturbed in spite of the of previous meetings, adding that he was looking forward to kick-start the season with a large number of newly-signed players.

  • La Liga to become second most popular league in Nigeria after NPFL

    The La Liga Santander said that it is working towards becoming second most popular football league in Nigeria, after the Nigeria Professional Football league (NPFL).

    The football body revealed this in a media briefing in Lagos, on Thursday.

    According to the Managing Director, LaLiga Nigeria, Javier Del Rio, La Liga has signed numerous agreements with international organizations with the aim of developing football around the world

    “Spanish football’s governing body and its clubs aim to develop the local game internationally, while working to become the second most popular competition in each country, behind the respective domestic leagues.”  He said

    “This operation is based around the following four lines of action: institutional relations, the training of players and coaches, protecting the integrity of the game and social responsibility.

    Read Also: La Liga eager to deepen Nigeria football ties

    “In terms of institutional relations, LaLiga has secured over 30 agreements with federations, leagues and other institutions in countries including the United States, Argentina, Portugal, Nigeria, South Africa, Thailand and Japan.

    “These partnerships enable the organization to explore potential cooperation schemes and projects involving the sharing of knowledge and ideas,” Del Rio noted.

    Del Rio further said that La Liga has for three seasons entered into a partnership with the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) that allows both Nigerian clubs gain access to the management of the successful Spanish clubs.

    The Nigerian U-15 team, according to Del Rio has also benefited from regular the partnership same as the women’s league, the NWFL.

    He further said that the league “is ready to do more fore Nigeria. We are ready to work with sports grounded  non-government organization (NGO), youth centered societies, the state and federal government inclusive in the bid to give more for all round sport support in Nigeria beyond football.”

    In another development, the league also announced its partnership with the Lagos Business School to organize and offer sport management courses in Nigeria.

    The briefing also had in attendance, former Nigerian midfielder, who is curently the ambassador La Liga Nigeria, Mutiu Adepoju, with the league introducing a Fantasy Football App that can be downloaded on google playstore.

     

  • Lokosa is LBA’s NPFL Player of the Season

    Kano Pillars forward, Junior Lokosa, once again got recognition for his efforts in the league as the League Bloggers Awards (LBA) awarded him 2017/18 Player of the Season.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Masu Gida, goal poacher, is the 2017/2018 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) highest goal scorer.

    He is also a recipient of the inaugural Eunisell Boot Award as the highest goal scorer.

    Lokosa, for his efforts got N3.8 million, which represents N200, 000 for each of the 19 goals he scored during the 2017/2018 NPFL season.

    George Akpayen, the Media Officer of LBA, told News Agency of Nigeria that Lokosa would be adding another gong to his blistering career as the player of the season.

    Akpayen said that although the season came to an end abruptly and log leaders, Lobi Stars, were named representatives of Nigeria in the 2018/19 CAF Champions League, Lokosa scored the highest goals.

    “Lokosa scored 19 goals to finish as top scorer when the league was declared concluded after Match Day 24.

    Read Also: Lokosa tipped to shine at Kano Pillars

    “Interestingly, he scored all 19 goals in 21 matches as he missed three matches. The LBA took its decision based on statistics available as at Match Day 24.

    “Lokosa had a fantastic campaign right from the first round when he entered the history books as the first player to score 14 goals after 19 Matches in the top division in Nigeria.

    “Overall, he made significant contributions to the performance of his team and was clearly the poster boy,’’ he said.

    kpayen said Lokosa’s feat attracted the attention of the Super Eagles Head Coach, Gernot Rohr, who listed the Kano Pillars forward in his provisional
    squad for the Russia 2018 World Cup.

    “Lokosa eventually made his international debut against DR Congo, but failed to make the final list to the mundial.

    “Lokosa is no stranger to records as he became the first player to win back-to-back LBA Player of the month award for January and February 2018 last season.

    “The LBA will present both awards to Lokosa on a date to be announced,’’ he said.

  • Jos stadium ready for continental matches in May – official

    The Jos ultra-modern stadium will be ready for continental matches in May, Mr Plamen Iliev, Director, BCC Tropical Nig. Ltd, handlers of the project, said on Wednesday in Jos.

    Iliev told Plateau governor Simon Lalong, who paid an unscheduled visit to the site, that materials needed to meet Confederation of African Football ( CAF ) specifications had been acquired and were being installed.

    Reigning Premier League Champions, Plateau United, one of Nigeria’s four representatives in CAF continental competitions, have been banned from playing their home matches in Jos because of the state of the stadium.

    Supporters of the Jos side have blamed the soccer outfit’s early exit from the CAF Champions League on the fact that it played its home matches in Kano, far away from home.

    Iliev, who took the governor round the stadium, said that the dressing room, the seats, the scoreboards and other requirements of CAF would be ready in May.

    In a brief remark, Lalong said that government had desired to meet all the conditions before the commencement of the Nigeria Professional Football League ( NPFL ) and CAF competitions, but was frustrated by the paucity of funds.

    He expressed optimism that Plateau United will play the remaining continental matches in the new stadium.

    “We are also optimistic that the stadium will be among the projects we will inaugurate in May,” he added.

    NAN

  • Maikaba satisfied with MFM draw amid tight schedule

    Maikaba satisfied with MFM draw amid tight schedule

    Akwa United head coach, Abdu Maikaba, has expressed contentment with his team’s 1-1 draw with MFM FC on the opening day of the ongoing Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Invitational on Monday.

    Maikaba’s men rallied back from a goal behind to claim a point off MFM at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano after Ajibola Otegbeye converted from the spot to cancel out Adegboyega Adekunle’s strike for the Lagos club.

    The former Wikki Tourists coach explained to www.npfl.ng that his team coped well despite having to play three games in three games.

    “I am pleased with the performance of my players, we played three games within three days and this is not easy. It was a good game and I am happy we are picking up.

    “We have much to do and we will correct all the errors noted and I am also happy that the competition is helping us to find our bearing,” Maikaba said.

    MFM FC head coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu also said “it was a game” that had finesse to it. He added that his team were unlucky to drop points to AITEO Cup holders.

    Ilechukwu then assured that MFM FC are ready for next year’s assignment in the CAF Champions League and will use the invitational tournament to build on the quality of the team.

    He said MFM are prepared to march any team in the country and on the continental as they have the quality in their playing personnel to face any opposition.