By Daily Sports on January 16, 2017

It was a loaded football weekend in Africa. The continent’s flagship football summit, Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) kicked-off in Gabon last Saturday, January 14 to end February 5. Back home, the new season for the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) took the centre stage across the country same day. However, it’s no longer news Nigeria is missing in the gathering of African bests in Gabon 2017 tournament.

I don’t know about you. Me? I have faith that the NPFL has the potential to develop itself into a money spinning and excellently organised league to be reckoned with in the continent cum world sooner than later, if the right attitude is deployed to midwife it.

To the writer, two things must be uppermost, one to ensure that men and women of integrity with visible means of livelihood that would not encourage mismanagement of funds meant for development of the game and the players.

The presence of such solid personalities no doubt would not only attract investors but also make them to fall over themselves for space in NPFL programmes, once they know that accountability and transparency would be the watch word and in their minds, their funds are safe, secured and giving their products and service the kind of mileage they bargained for and deserve.

Again, such men and women of dignity in the League Management Company (LMC) board who have successfully navigated their businesses to profitable ventures definitely would bring sanity, trust, goodwill, carriage and all other trappings that would breathe dynamism into our league administration, organisation and dispensation to becoming reverend.

Another striking way forward is the zeal to build strong institution in the LMC rather than build stronger personalities. It has been proved that stronger institutions than personalities can without any prejudice wield the big hammer on erring clubs, its owners, players and sundry when the need arises not minding, once it is within the statute establishing it. Not resorting to self-pity or to the dictates of the fumbling and wobbling NFF. Above all, not minding a hoot whoever his or her ox is gored. In short, truly repackaged NPFL and LMC, are the desired dream of numerous fans that follow prime domestic football. They have found the LMC and its product, the NPFL much worthy to be identified with. The LMC cannot afford to offer less, judging from the first of its kind, the depth of pre-season preparations by clubs. There were huge funds involved in the buying of first rate players and coaches, therefore, high level competitive NPFL fans would enjoy value for their money.

It is also my belief that our NPFL with eyes firmly set on growth would live to pattern its structure after the English Premier League (EPL) whose strength, foresight acumen and richness outweighs its FA. An influential LMC is what I foresee.

It was why my anger boiled to high heaven the other time the current boss of LMC, Shehu Dikko was cowed into the defence of dirty NFF. Yes, he is a member of the rotten institution, however, we knew the unrepentant and hardened individuals whose appetite for bribery and corruption are unquenchable in the embattled body, FIFA recently, due to sharp and unwholesome spending practices withheld $1.5 million annual grant.

I took him (Dikko) to the cleaners for such misadventure because I know the fate he suffered in the hands of power drunk bulldozers during the last much fouled elective congress of the federation in Warri.

Let me also say again that he is likely to be the next NFF President, though all things cannot be equal. The coast is clearer for him now that Ifeanyi Uba has been tricked into another suicide mission where he would without any prejudice lose his deposit to highly performing and grassroots Governor Willy Obiano in the murky water of Anambra State Governorship election later in the year on APC platform.

This column also has not hidden its profound admiration for the good foundation being laid by the Shehu Dikko led LMC board on NPFL. Its effort to leave lasting footprints on the sands of time is not in any doubt. His solid legacy of prosperity is second to none and it must be sustained to the letter until the destination point.

Daily Sports gives credit to whom it is due and at this juncture must thumb up the LMC for the successful kick-off of the new season. Games were played across the centres last Saturday, January 14 and Sunday, 15. This early start is the first of its kind in our organised league history.  It may not be out of place to safely say that it is one bold step whose time has come and which no army in the kingdom of destroyers would stop. It would rather inch us steadily towards starting our league in August calendar and drawing the curtain in May with other established leagues like EPL, La Liga, Serie A, and even League1.

My friends in LMC are proactive and on top of their game. They are earnestly rooting for the overall betterment of the game as obtains across the globe. This is why I’m up in arms whenever any of them goes off mark to shield the obvious corrupt ridden NFF.

Another milestone is that our league started before the continental championships that placed our representatives in good stead and sound footing for the first time. It is instructive to note that our teams, especially in the Champions League usually compete from disadvantage position due to late kick-off of our season. Now the narrative has changed for better. Complaints by teams in the past of being match rusty is no more. They will compete strongly and gamely.

It is also a fact that the lofty steps by LMC made teams to go for best legs and gaffers too. It is why you have almost equal strength in the competing teams. We are just beginning, much fireworks, textbook goals coupled with nitty-gritty football will unfold more as the season evolves. It is one season which hold a lot for the fans, game and pundits.

One hopes that teams would accordingly educate their fans on the need to be calm even in the face of provocation from any quarter. The fans should also be told in clearer terms that in sports, you win some and lose some. Above all, they should also know the consequences of crowd trouble on their teams. Therefore fair play and the spirit of sportsmanship must be preached.

It is anticipated that we will enjoy the season in every sphere - matured football, refreshing, brilliant officiating, deep technical and tactical input, competitiveness, which would see traditional and new teams jostling for the top and soul of the league diadem from match day one.

However, except the unpredictability of the game takes its toll, every tendency points at NPFL reborn.

And now this…

As if the lame duck NFF leadership read my mind inside out, issued statement to inspect Enugu, Bauchi, Nnewi, Port Harcourt stadia on their readiness and suitability, all the venues being proposed for home matches for clubs representing Nigeria in continental  competitions this year will be inspected by officials of the Federation.

This was the agreement reached at the end of a meeting of NFF officials and officials of the four Clubs (Rangers International, Rivers United, FC Ifeanyi Ubah and Wikki Tourists) at the NFF Secretariat, Abuja on Wednesday.

Deliberations centred on match venues, stadium readiness, team preparation, team travel and accommodation, logistics, match officials travel and accommodation, communication with NFF and officials of the opposition team, safety, security and medical provisions.

NFF’s Director of Competitions, Mr. Bola Oyeyode briefed officials of the four clubs on requirements by CAF, and harped on the importance of being fully prepared in all areas in order not to attract avoidable sanctions and unpleasant experience during their campaigns.

It would be recalled that champions, Rangers International will fly the country’s flag at the CAF Champions League alongside Rivers United, while Federation Cup winners, FC IfeanyiUbah and Wikki Tourists will campaign in the CAF Confederation Cup.

The Flying Antelopes have proposed to make use of the 25,000 capacity Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium (The Cathedral) for their home matches, as Rivers United opted for the Yakubu Gowon Stadium (16,000 capacity) in Port Harcourt and Wikki Tourists on the 18,000 capacity Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi. FC IfeanyiUbah, nicknamed Anambra Warriors and the only privately-owned Club among the four, will host home matches at the 17,000 capacity Ifeanyi Ubah International Stadium, Nnewi. Oyeyode noted that none of the four stadia had been previously homologated by CAF hence the need for NFF to inspect the venues well ahead of the African competitions.

The first leg, first round of this year’s Africa Club Competitions will take place on the weekend of 9th – 11th February.  It is a sound step in the right direction; it would make the teams feel a sense of belonging, fulfillment and duty bound to excel via elaborate preparations for the task ahead. Maybe, NFF has just woken up from its deep, long slumber. Time they say, will tell. Meanwhile, discussion continues! Keep shooting hard, till week!!

Source Daily Sports

Posted January 16, 2017

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