By Daily Sports on May 12, 2020

Heartland Football Club of Owerri goalkeeper, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, has called on the League Management Company (LMC) to end the 2019/2020 league season due to the growing number of COVID-19 cases in the country.

Ezenwa, who is also a Super Eagles goalkeeper, said on a radio programme monitored by The Guardian that the LMC should award the NPFL trophy to Plateau United, who are currently topping the league table to avoid players converging together in this critical period of COVID-19 pandemic to play football.

“If you give me the chance to be LMC chairman for two weeks, I will end the NPFL league season and declare Plateau United, who are currently at the top of the league log, winners if the NPFL League.

“Other top teams will be given the ticket to represent Nigeria at the continent. It is dangerous to expose players to the game of football at this period. Health is wealth. It is important for one to stay healthy.

“The virus is everywhere in the country, from Kano, Port Harcourt to Lagos. If we are allowed to go on with the League and I go for an away game in Kano, fans will ask me to snap pictures with them and I will not tell them I can’t because of corona virus; it does not make sense. They will be angry with me.

“Even my team mates, we avoid handshakes because of corona virus. Humans must socialise. So, it is better for the League to end to avoid panic or embarrassment.

“I don’t know if the players union are saying anything about the resumption of the league. I am assistant captain. The players union is made up of captains of various football clubs,” he said.

Ezenwa added that the training routine has not been easy for him since the lockdown, adding, “In my entire life, I have not stayed at home this long. But the COVID-19 lockdown has made me be at home to keep safe with my family.

“Training has not been easy for me. I have to go and seek permission from a Catholic priest to use a part of the field in the church premises to train every morning.

“As a footballer, it is very important to keep fit for the challenges ahead. Other players have also been complaining of not getting facilities to train. I always encourage them to be patient that this is something we have to bear till the virus issue is over.” (Guardian NG)

•PHOTO:  Ikechukwu Ezenwa 

Source Daily Sports

Posted May 12, 2020

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