Enugu Rangers vice-captain Tope Olusesi has bemoaned the uncertainties surrounding the commencement of the 2020/21 Nigeria Professional Football League season amidst continuous postponements which has plagued the kickoff of the league post-Covid-19.
Olusesi, while speaking with news men described the situation as very frustrating and discouraging, as players and coaches were left completely in the dark and were not even aware of when to expect the start of a new league season.
He also added that players’ careers were on the line with the continuous period of inactivity lingering for longer than necessary.
“It’s really frustrating because we the Footballers in Nigeria we spend our lives playing football and this is what we know how to do and what we love doing and there are people up there not putting in efforts to make things better. Hearing that the league will start and that it won’t start again, the whole thing is just frustrating seriously.”
In a related development, Lobi stars defender Ebube Duru has lamented the absence of the Makurdi based NPFL side from continental Football while taking a scorecard of the current situation of inactivity with no organized Football competition other than pre-season tourneys in Nigeria.
Duru said that not playing on the continent has deprived him and other members of the team a bigger and better platform to showcase their trade to the world.
He added that he has his mind on Lobi stars and will only consider leaving the club for pastures anew abroad.
“It’s painful missing out on continental football because it’s a bigger platform to showcase oneself and I know how it is. I’m getting calls from teams playing on the continent for me to play for them but everything is patience. I already have the mindset that if I will be leaving Lobi stars, it will be for a club outside Nigeria.”
In another development, the Chief Operating Officer of the Nigeria National League Emmanuel Adesanya has counseled clubs in Nigeria’s second-tier division to keep the faith and enthusiasm ahead of the return of the league.
Adesanya said in an interview with news men that there was no going back as regards the plan to have the league return and urged clubs not to lift their foot off the pedal.
He added that clubs should continue with the zeal and enthusiasm towards a new league season.
“The message I want to pass across is they should maintain the enthusiasm that they started with, they should let it continue and there is no going back.”