By Daily Sports on July 26, 2017

Duke Udi has admitted that taking up the role of head coach Sunshine Stars has been a real challenge.

The former Nigeria international has led the Akure Gunners out of the drop zone with eight matches to the end of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) campaign and has explained that he faced scrutiny from different quarters for taking up the job.

Another former Nigeria player, Austin Eguavoen, had already quit the role citing poor officiating in the top division for his decision and in came Udi.

Udi explained that amid finding the Sunshine Stars job challenging, he also had to work with the playing personnel "inherited" on his arrival since the transfer windows had shut down.

"Of course this is (my most challenging job). I took this job because I love challenges, they make me stronger. People asked me why I took this kind of job."

I inherited the players I met here and I have worked with them so far irrespective of the kind of players in the team," Udi said after his team dispatched El-Kanemi Warriors 1-0 in a league game on Sunday.

However, Udi is confident that his men can continue to move away from the drop zone with 21 points remaining to play for this season.

He also finds some sort of comfort in his team's recent away form - winning back-to-back games on the road at ABS FC and Rivers United.

"Our away games are better than our home games, but we now have 21 points to play for. We would like to keep gathering our points, as I don't look at the relegation battle. So we will keep fighting till the end of the season," he promised. © supersport.com

•Photo shows Duke Udi, head coach of Sunshine Stars.

Source Daily Sports

Posted July 26, 2017

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