Coaches, players await new NPL official match balls

 

By Rasaq Oboirien

COACHES and players of the 20 Nigeria Premier League teams await the supply of the season's official match balls by the League Management Company (LMC), reports NaijaSportsXtra.blogspot.com.

Checks on the clubs activities revealed that no club has got any supplies from the country's domestic football regulators let alone train with the new balls.

In most pre-season games involving the topflight teams and practice sessions, the team play with last season's match balls while the newly promoted teams of Kastina United, ABS FC, Gombe United and Remo Stars train with personal balls.

Opinions of players and coaches on the development informed of anxiousness or fear.

Some who spoke on condition of anonymity said: "Good idea from the LMC but as players, we needed to have practiced with the official match ball. Take for example, am an attacker-cum-winger, I don't know if my pace can match that of the ball or my final ball from a cross would get to where I want it to get to for the strikers to score.

"In a nut-shell, we don't know the quality of these balls."

Another player, a goalkeeper said:"I don't know if the new match ball is a jabulani, how would I deal with its pace when I have not trained with it with my trainer. 

"I could be blamed for an own-goal from fans, little would they know we have not trained with the new NPL match balls.

A top coach of one of the clubs while making his comment said, "Logistics could have been the problem supplying these match balls to clubs, however, I don't think we should start making excuses rather prepare our teams for the season which kicks off this weekend.

"Ideally the coaches ought to have been training with the squad with the match ball. Nowadays these balls can be funny, looking at the technology behind producing them.

"I want to urge the LMC to make available the official season match balls to the various clubs on time."

The new season kicks off with a high profile game between Kano Pillars and FC IfeanyiUbah who are both Federation and Charity Cup winners at the Sani Abacha Stadium today(Saturday).

CHARITY CUP: Rangers battle IfeanyiUbah Jan.11‬

‪

‪By Rasaq Oboirien‬

‪THE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has fixed January 11 for the Charity Cup game between league champions, Rangers International of Enugu and Federation Cup holders, FC IfeanyiUbah, reports NaijaSportsXtra.blogspot.com.‬

‪The game which will be hosted in Abuja will definitely kick-off the 2016/17 Nigeria Premier League season three days after.‬

‪Rangers who were crowned champions after a 32-year wait will fly the country's flag alongside Rivers United in the CFA Champions League while Rich-spending Anambra Warriors and third place Wikki Tourists of Bauchi will compete in the Confederations Cup.‬

‪Meanwhile, Coach Imama ‬Amakapabo has assured fans of the Flying Antelopes that he has got a team that will compete for all the silverware in the domestic league and continent.

"I'm very happy with the team I have for this coming season. We have been able to fortify the squad and I'm sure we will do well," said the Super Eagles assistant coach.

The Coal City team who have registered 25 players for the new season, will begin its campaign in the continent elite inter-club championship with an away game to Algerian club Jeunne Sportive Saoura in the preliminary round in February.

Wikki battles Ifeanyi Ubah in Super 4 opener

CAF Confederations Cup flag-bearers, Wikki Tourists and FC IfeanyiUbah have been drawn to play the opening game of the 2016/17 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Super 4 which flags off on December 7 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.,
According to fixtures released by the League Management Company (LMC), the opening match will kick-off at 5pm with the second fixture between League champions, Rangers International and runners-up, Rivers United starting at 7pm.

Okocha, FC Ifeanyi Ubah mourn Chapecoense victims

 

By Rasaq Oboirien

EX-Super Eagles captain, Austin 'Jay Jay' Okocha has expressed his grief when he paid tributes to the victims and survivors of the plane crash involving Brazilian soccer team, Chapecoense.

76 people have been confirmed dead when the flight crashed en route from Bolivia to Colombia on Monday night with six others believed to have survived.

A host of players, officials and journalists were on board when the disaster occured.

Okocha and Nigeria Premier League side and Federation Cup champions, FC Ifeanyi Ubah expressed their sympathies with the bereaved families.

The ex-Paris St Germine and Bolton star said on social media, Twitter, "With heavy heart I deeply grieve with the families,friends & Brazil FA for Chapecoense's tragedy," he tweeted on @IAmOkocha.

While that of @FCIfeanyiUbah read, "At this trying moments, Our prayers and thoughts are with the Brazilian club Chapecoense over the unfortunate air mishap."