Enyimba, Rangers fail to make Africa top 20 clubs

 

By Rasaq Oboirien

SEVEN times Nigeria Premier League champions, Enyimba FC of Aba and current title holders, Rangers International of Enugu failed to make the top 20 of the African clubs ranking list, according to the FootballDatabase system.

NaijaSportsXtra.blogspot.com gathered from the list that the People's Elephants were rated as the best team in Nigeria after been placed 28th with 1,437points.

Rangers who were beaten at home on matchday one by Oriental Derby rival, Abia Warriors were rated 44th in latest ranking released on 15 January.

Surprisingly, Warri Wolves made the top 10 Nigeria best clubs depicted been relegated to the Nigeria National League (NNL) at the end of last season.

Meanwhile, Cairo giants, Al Ahly of Egypt were rated as the continent best club, as current Champions League holders, Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa were rated 14th.

NIGERIA's Top 10 clubs

28Enyimba-1437

44Enugu Rangers-1412

58Warri Wolves FC-1393

64Wikki Tourist-1383

66Dolphins FC-1383

67Sunshine Stars-1382

74Kano Pillars-1377

76Nasarawa United-1376

77Ifeanyi Ubah United-1374

80Lobi Stars-1368

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).

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.

Rivers Utd yet to reach desired level, says Eguma

CAF Champions League side, Rivers United have entered the third phase of their pre-season exercise ahead of the commencement of the 2016/17 football season.
The first phase commenced in Port Harcourt on November 1 with the ‘Pride of Rivers’ playing a handful of test matches against local sides while the coaches concentrated on bringing the players up to speed from a physical perspective.
On Sunday, November 20, United kicked off her second phase of pre-season in Abuja with priority put on physical work with technical manager, Stanley Eguma gradually introducing his philosophy to the new arrivals.