Sports
Nigeria Premier League Begins Against Odds
Certainly, the 2010/2011 Nigeria Premier League season would begin tomorrow in all centres across the country.
The league had faced several postponements due to the crisis in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) which led now been resolved based on a gentleman’s agreement.
The reinstatement of the Aminu-Maigan led board had to the setting up of the Referees’ Appointment Committee and other bodies responsible for the effective monitoring of the league.
Despite the positive development, stakeholders are still concerned over the many problems which had affected the poor standard of the league.
Among them is the absence of a title sponsor for this season after telecommunications giant, Globacom pulled out of a deal to renew its sponsorship of the league.
The absence of a sponsor, means the league board would be lacking the financial power to properly administer its secretariat.
Most leagues in the world depend on the proceeds of sponsorship, endorsements, branding and TV rights, to survive.
Another major problem is the lack of interest by fans in attending league matches. Poor attendance during league matches in recent history has been due to insecurity at league venues and poor officiating by referees.
Most fans who had unwillingly visited league venues have had cause to complain on how referees openly favour home teams.
Besides, fans prefer to sit in the comfort of their homes to watch European league matches.
To reverse the trend, the Rivers State Commissioner for Sports, Boma Iyaye and other sports personalities have advocated a change in the timing of the league.
The Commissioner, when asked on how the interest of Nigerians in the league can be revived said matches should be played in the evening under floodlights.
The absence of strong followership for the league has led to the loss of revenue for clubs, which could have been ploughed into infrastructure development and improvement of player’s welfare.
The whole problem confronting the growth of our league to other leagues especially in Africa is the problem of leadership, said John Amaowoh, a journalist and soccer enthusiast.
“Just like the larger political terrain, our football has been infested with characters that are fit only for school sports and their end interest is not for the advancement of the league, but how they can share in the booty that comes into the system,” he said.
Amaowoh believes that ex-internationals should be given the chance to manage football for the country, noting that politicians are interested in their personal gains.
On his part, Mainayo Igani, said until the body responsible for the appointment of referees is independent, the issue of fair officiating would be a mirage.
Igani noted that a situation where referees who are sent to officiate a match are being pampered by the state football association was unhealthy.
“The referees committee has to be independent to guarantee fair officiating, a situation where they are being treated by state Football Associations as demi-gods when they are sent down is not good,” he said.
The chairman of the Sharks FC Supporters Club also called on fans not to intimidate referees during league games.
The league opens this weekend with Kaduna United entertaining neighbour, Kano Pillars with both sides looking for a positive start to the new season.
Kano Pillars are without their prized striker, Ahmed Musa who notched in 18 goals last season that propelled the team to second place but officials of the team are upbeat that the opening match would be competitive.
All other teams would play on Sunday, with Rivers State-owned teams Dolphins FC and Sharks FC eyeing the league title.
Sharks would lock horns with JUTH FC at home, but would be banking on their devastating form at the continental level to get the three points at stake.
Akonte Samuel/Grace Nwaimo
England captain Harry Kane netted a hat-trick to guide Bayern Munich to an impressive victory against Stuttgart.
Kane’s goals, plus one from Kingsley Coman, helped Bayern end a three-game winless run in all competitions.
They faced a tough task against a Stuttgart side who sat back and limited their chances, leading Vincent Kompany’s side to enter the break frustrated and with the deadlock unbroken.
Bayern eventually found a way past Stuttgart’s steely defence when Kane drilled a low effort into the bottom corner from around 30 yards out after Joshua Kimmich overturned possession.
Former Nigeria goalkeeper, Dosu Joseph, is full of thanks to God after he miraculously survived another life-threatening automobile accident recent at Kara, along the Lagos-Ibadan Express Way, where a heavy-duty truck ran into his SUV.
Narrating his ordeal, the 51-year-old, who guided Nigeria to gold in the Men’s Football Tournament of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, broke the news in a statement on his social media handles on Friday.
“To God be the glory, another death escaped by Grace and Mercy of God. Me and my friend SM were at Enyo Filling Station after Ojodu Berger bus stop to get fuel on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, around 6 p.m. when this MACK truck fully loaded with iron, with registration number LND 470 XX, left the road and crushed my car beyond repairs. Thank God for life,” he stated.
This is the second time the soft-spoken club proprietor will cheat death by a whisker, having been involved in an accident in 1997 that ended his career at 23 and left his spinal cord in bad shape.
He helped Julius Berger win the Nigeria FA Cup in November 1997 shortly a memorable Olympic outing by keeping a clean sheet in the finals against Katsina United. The following year, he was involved in the auto along Ikorodu Road, Lagos, which not only cut his career short but also left him almost paralysed, ending his spell at Serie A club Reggiana.
The former Nigeria international, who also kept goal for Julius Berger FC, said the case has been reported to Isheri Police Station, Ogun State, where the driver is currently detained and the truck also seized.
According to him, the owner of the truck said he can’t fix the badly damaged SUV until after a year.
Ex – Super Eagles of Nigeria, Okwuchukwu Waobikeze has observed that sports development in Nigeria is going down.
According to him, grassroots sports is very important, without it, the administrators cannot get it right. So everybody should key into grassroots sports development, he said.
Waobikeze said this last Wednesday in an interview with sports journalists shortly after the Port Harcourt All Stars Independence football festival (OCTOBERFEST) at the Port Harcourt club, Rivers State.
He explained that for sports administrators to get it right, grassroots development is key. “They should be organising competition at the grassroots level to fish out the young ones for different sporting activities.
“Grassroots sports is very important so the administrators have to go back to the grassroots.
” Sports Development in Nigeria is going down we need to go back to the basics.
“Look at the just concluded Paris Olympics, Nigeria did not win any medal.
” Our football team did not even qualify for the Olympics. We are going down.
” If they should go back to the grassroots, they will get young ones in the games and talents will be developed.
” I started from school games, to youth games before playing for the national team. Now everybody wants to fly board to play professional football and a lot do not know the basics of the game.
” A lot of people did not know the little things about the game, they just want to play. It is not done so,” Waobikeze stated.
Kiadum Edookor
