By Daily Sports on October 29, 2016

Christian Madu is not one of the eye-catching players in the Rangers International FC squad in their Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) title-winning campaign, but the defensive midfielder did enough to earn himself plaudits and now feels that his club will become the team to beat when the 2016/17 league season starts.

Unlike the CANE of Rangers - Bobby Clement, Godwin Aguda, Obinna Nwobodo and Chisom Egbuchulam - who enjoyed rave reviews for their contribution to the title triumph of the Flying Antelopes, Madu brought a different kind of addition to the team on the pitch, one in which the club faithful hold dear.

The midfield enforcer already has his eyes fixed on the coming season and has projected that it will be "a tougher season" as every team will be aiming to win against Rangers.

"It was good we won the title last season," said Madu said to npfl.ng. "It was also not an easy season because we had other teams chasing the title and making us look over our shoulders everytime we climbed to the top of the table during the season. Now we are looking forward to the coming season with high hopes as well as we will be defending our title and at the same time, play in the CAF Champions League and the Federation Cup. That will mean more games.

"I believe we have a good team to go through all of these competitions though I am not expecting it to be any easy. As champions every team in the league will now want to beat us whether at home or in away games. So we have to really double up and be at our best in the new season."

Then he broke off to speak of Rangers playing on the continent for the first time since 2013.

Rangers did well to go past Sporting Club do Principe of Sao Tome and Principe and Burundi's Vital'O in the preliminary and first rounds before falling to Angolan side, Recreativo do Libolo in the second round of the CAF Champions League, meaning they dropped to the Confederation Cup. But Rangers were thrown out of the competition for fielding an ineligible player.

Madu now believes that the Flying Antelopes are experienced now and will cross all the t's and dot all the i's.

"I am very confident that we can compete very well in Africa next year. By God's grace this team can reach the group stage of the Champions League, so far we do everything right. But we will have to work very hard to make an impact next year in Africa," Madu said.

Madu featured in 35 league matches for Rangers and scored just once when they defeated Rivers United 4-0 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu. (npfl.ng)

•Photo shows Christian Madu

Source Daily Sports

Posted October 29, 2016

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