The Nation Newspaper

Tag: NPFL

  • We won’t fail in Togo – Amapakabo

    For 73 minutes last Sunday, six-time Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) champions, Enyimba FC tried in vain to breach the backline of plucky Togolese club, Anges de Notsè in a first leg preliminary round CAF Champions League game.

    A brace by Sibi Gwar in the final seven minutes in the game and one other from Kingsley Sokari eventually sealed a memorable 3-1 win for the People’s Elephant in Aba.

    Vincent Orode had earlier put Anges in front while the anxious Enyimba supporters collectively held their breath until late heroics from their forward men averted a major upset.

    Assistant coach of Enyimba, Imama Amapakabo believes Enyimba started the first leg in uncharacteristic fashion and has promised that things will be different in the return fixture today.

    “We altered our tactics in that first leg in Aba. We only reverted to our original tactics towards the end (of the game) and the results are clear for all to see.

    “A lot of the players were too passive in the first half and that was chiefly responsible for the goal they (Anges) scored. We became aggressive in the second half and got the desired result,” Amapakabo told supersport.com.

    Amapakabo then took the time to identify the opposition players who could create problems for his charges in the second leg in Lome.

    “It will be foolish for any coach not to worry about Orode. He’s very intelligent and experienced.

    “Junior Dobatse also did very well for them. In all, we now understand their tactics. They started with a 4-4-2 and reverted to a 4-2-4 later in the game.

    “Their coach is not afraid to tweak things but that will play into our hands in the return leg because they will be bolder and that will open up the spaces that will enable us win the game,” he said.

  • Dolphins to cross swords with Hearts, Kotoko

    Dolphins to cross swords with Hearts, Kotoko

    Three-time Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) champions, Dolphins will face Ghanaian clubs, Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko Sports Club in warm-up fixtures ahead of the start of the 2013/14 season.

    The Port Harcourt side have since intensified preparations for the new campaign and competed at the Lotto tournament in Lagos.

    Manager of Dolphins, Stanley Eguma is pleased at the pace of the team’s preparations and believes the games against Hearts and Kotoko will prove to be the icing on the cake ahead of competitive fixtures in the Nigerian top flight.

    “We resumed early enough for the new season and the Lotto tournament in Lagos was vital for our preparations. Shortly, we will be travelling to Ghana for another pre-season tournament that will see us play against clubs like Kumasi Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak,” Eguma told supersport.com.

    Dolphins were mediocre by their high standards in the 2012/13 Globacom Premier League campaign as they finished the season in ninth place with 53 points from 38 matches.

    Eguma is eager to “correct the situation this time around” and insists he has the right personnel to deliver success in the upcoming season.

    “We have been able to include players that we believe can help us achieve set goals this season. They may not be what some call big names but we know what they can do. Victor Alegbe is one of the two players we recruited from Wikki Tourists while Jonathan Zikiye who can wreck havoc from the left has joined us from Nembe City.

    “Stone Evbuomwan has come in from ABS and we have retained our best legs from last season. The plan is to add strength, zest and speed to our play and our target is to fight for the top spot in the new season,” he concluded.

    Dolphins will face Heartland FC in their opening fixture of the 2013/14 Globacom Premier League season at the Dan Anyima Stadium, Owerri.

  • Enyimba turns to De Kruif

    Enyimba turns to De Kruif

    Six-time Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) winners, Enyimba, are considering their coaching options with Dutchman, Lodewijk de Kruif, top of their wishlist.

    The top hierarchy at Enyimba believe the Dutchman fits the bill for the head coach job. Enyimba head coach in the 2012/13 season, Salisu Yusuf, is close to joining either FC Taraba or El-Kanemi Warriors and his assistant, Paul Aigbogun has switched to Warri Wolves.

    “Right now Enyimba are looking at several options for a coaching replacement. Two of our coaches, Paul Aigbogun and Salisu Yusuf, are at present not with us. We’ve only heard they’ve joined other clubs though we cannot confirm officially. At the moment, one of the coaches we are looking at is Lodewijk de Kruif.

    “Nothing has been concluded but we are considering him because he has shown great understanding of the Nigerian and African game as coach of one of our rival clubs (Heartland) where he was their coach,” an official of Enyimba told supersport.com.

    The People’s Elephant are said to be putting pressure on either Aigbogun or Yusuf to stay as head coach as they prepare for the 2014 CAF Champions League. However, the two-time CAF Champions League winners will have a lot of work to do in convincing de Kruif to dump his current job as manager of the Bangladeshi national team.

    At present, Imama Amapakabo is the most high-placed in the coaching ranks at Enyimba and has been in charge of the first-team in the absence of Aigbogun and Yusuf.

  • Siasia denies Pillars link

    Siasia denies Pillars link

    Former Super Eagles head coach, Samson Siasia has denied reports linking him to the vacant coaching post at Nigerian champions, Kano Pillars.

    Head coach of Kano Pillars, Baba Ganaru made a shock exit from the club on Friday and announced that he would be taking charge of another Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) club, Nasarawa United.

    Siasia is the bookmaker’s favourite to fill the void at Saimasu Gida but the former Nigeria Under-23 coach has now distanced himself from the speculations linking him with the NPFL kings.

    “Pillars are a great club but there is no truth that I have been contacted by officials of the club to become their next coach,” Siasia told supersport.com in Saturday.

    It has also been rumoured that Ganaru quit as Kano Pillars boss following consistent stories in the media that Siasia was poised to be named head of the Pillars technical crew.

    Siasia however denied that he had anything to do with exit of Ganaru.

    “How could anyone say I had anything to do with Ganaru’s sacking when no one from Pillars has contacted me as far taking over the club is club?

    “I have read lot of rumors in the papers that are not correct,” he said.

  • Relegated 3SC to sack coach

    Relegated 3SC to sack coach

    Relegated Shooting Stars management has concluded plans to fire coach Hakeem Busari after the club’s relegation to the lower division last week.

    Shooting Stars finished bottom of the Nigeria league on Sunday and management board member Tunde Kelani told MTNFootball.com that the board plan a massive reorganisation of the famous club to ensure its immediate return to the top flight.

    “We have already begun a massive reorganisation of the club because we do not belong in the second division and we need to start getting results,” said Kelani.

    “What we need at this time is everyone’s support and not sabotage. There is strength in unity and commitment.

    “We hope we can return to the premier league after one season in the lower division.”

    MTNFootball.com gathered that Busari, who was confirmed head coach in the course of the season, will be shown the exit door along with his assistants led by Tunde Odubola aka Coach Zico.

     

     

  • Sharks have nothing to lose

    Sharks have nothing to lose

    Sharks coach Gbenga Ogunbote has told Enyimba that his team head into the final match of the season with “nothing to lose.” The Port Harcourt side travel to Aba with their safety in the NPFL already guaranteed mathematically after hitting 53 points on Wednesday, and Ogunbote reckons Sharks would play a “relaxed” game.

    He told supersport.com that it is Enyimba that need the points to qualify for the CAF Champions League and would be playing under pressure.

    “I don’t want to talk much about the game, but we have nothing to lose having secured our place in the premier league,” Ogunbote said.

    “I had always said we intended to finish in a comfortable position,and by that I meant any position between the first and ninth positions.

    “Enyimba are the ones that desperately need the points (for Champions League qualification) and would be under pressure to deliver.

    “We would be playing in a relaxed mood,while they would be playing under pressure.”

    Ogunbote could even afford some humour when he added: “I can assure you that if you’re there (at the Enyimba International Stadium), Enyimba would beg us.”

    The former Sunshine Stars gaffer admitted they were disappointing against Rangers in their last away game and that he was expecting a better game in Aba.

    “We were careless against Rangers, conceding a goal within the opening four minutes,” he said.

    “It takes a team of very strong character to recover from that.

    “However, I believe most of the mistakes we made have been corrected. It is a learning process and hopefully we have moved on from there. I’m looking forward to a good game against Enyimba.”

    Sharks are sixth on the NPFL table with 53 points, while Enyimba are fourth with 59 points after 37 rounds of matches.

  • NPFL now ends October 20

    NPFL now ends October 20

    The League Management Company (LMC) has announced that the Nigeria league will now end on October 20 against the earlier date of October 13.

    MTNFootball.com reports that the LMC effected changes in the earlier released amended fixtures which were necessitated by the decisions of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) organising and disciplinary committee (O and D) on various cases arising from league games.

    A statement from the office of the LMC chief operating officer, Salihu Abubakar, reads: “In view of the appeals received from some of the clubs on the decisions of the NFF Disciplinary Committee and the need for us to have smooth ending of the season, matches of the Glo Premier League are now to be played as follows – Matches of Week 35 will now be played on Wednesday, October 2, 2013 with Week 36 matches slated to be played on Saturday, October 12. Week 37 matches will hold on Wednesday, October 16, and the season-ending matches of Week 38 will be decided on Sunday, October 20.

    “The new schedules took into consideration the Super Eagles World Cup qualifier against Ethiopia, which has been scheduled for October 13 to free the day for Nigerians to focus on the game.”

    Enyimba, who has already clichéd the Federation Cup, lead the 20-team table with 58 points from 34 matches.

    The top two teams will represent Nigeria at next year’s CAF Champions League, while the third-placed club will feature in the Confederation Cup.

     

  • Crown FC gear up for NPFL

    Crown FC gear up for NPFL

    Players and officials of newly promoted Crown Football Club of Ogbomoso are expected to resume training on Wednesday in preparation for the Globacom Premier League campaign.

    The club’s media officer, Kunle Oyeleye, who disclosed this to SportingLife, said the early resumption is to enable the club put proper touches to every arrangement prior to the elite hostility action later in the year.

    Oyeleye also said the club will welcome the contributions of the private individuals and companies in ensuring that the Ogbomoso –based side have a smooth run during their home games next season.

    “Again as part of the plans to ensure the Ogbomoso Soccer Valiants’ trades her home action at Ogbomoso, the club will welcome the involvement of private individuals and companies again this time around,” Oyeleye said.

    “The Nest Hotel Management last season encouraged the club and contributed hugely to playing at home last season coupled with the massive support of the Oyo State Government, so again we call on the good people and companies in Nigeria to come and key into the opportunities Crown Football provides in this premiership season.”

  • Why Enyimba dropped Ede, Sokari

    Why Enyimba dropped Ede, Sokari

    Six-time Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) champions, Enyimba, named a provisional squad for their top-of-the-table game at Bayelsa United without Ifeanyi Ede and Kingsley Sokari.

    Enyimba head coach, Salisu Yusuf, decided to rest Ede and Sokari in the run-up to the title race. Ede’s exclusion comes as a surprise, as he has scored four goals in the Aba club’s last four matches.

    Also left out of the trip to Bayelsa was Fidelis Saviour, who played as a substitute in the Federation Cup final against Warri Wolves. However, midfielder Michael Okoyoh, remained unavailable owing to an ankle injury he is nursing.

    In spite of the absence of the quartet, Yusuf named a strong squad that included the like of Bishop Onyeudo, Daniel Etor, Victor Ezeji, Chinedu Udoji, Femi Thomas, Nzube Anaezemba, Josiah Maduabuchi and Emeka Nwanna.

  • NPFL: Owumi queries N5.27b deal

    NPFL: Owumi queries N5.27b deal

    The former Chairman of the Nigeria Professional Football League, Davidson Owumi, has queried the legality of the League Management Committee to sign a future deal on behalf of the clubs.

    The LMC had announced on Monday that they had secured a four year N5.27 billion television rights deal that will kick off in 2015.

    In a text message sent to Futaa.com on Tuesday morning, Owumi wrote:

    “This is celebrating illegality. A duly elected board got the N5 billion MTN deal signed, sealed and delivered, who told Irabor and his private company, the LMC, that a duly elected board cannot get a N10 billion television deal for the clubs?

    “Who owns the LMC? How much are the clubs entitled to in the deal, going by the articles and memorandum of the registration of the LMC?

    “Please where is the 2015 contract? Do you sign a marriage certificate while courting? “

    Meanwhile, Futaa.com understands that the tenure of the LMC may be extended. The LMC was supposed to midwife a new, elected League board at the end of the current season.