2018 Nigerian League Abruptly Ended - Lobi declared "champs"

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Enugu II
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2018 Nigerian League Abruptly Ended - Lobi declared "champs"

Post by Enugu II »

Ghanaian Goalkeeper Bonsu Set To Rejoin Rangers After Injury-Induced Lay-off
0 November 2, 2017 10:14 am
https://www.completesportsnigeria.com/g ... d-lay-off/

By Adeboye Amosu:‎
Ghanaian goalkeeper, Nana Bonsu is set to rejoin Enugu Rangers after spending a lengthy time on the sidelines, Completesportsnigeria.com reports.‎
The former Ashantigold shot stopper missed the majority of last season’s games due to a knee injury he sustained while in action for the Flying Antelopes in a league match.
Bonsu told Completesportsnigeria.com from his base in Ghana that he was fully recuperated and looking forward to making a return to action for his team.
“It has been a tough time for me sitting on the sidelines without getting the chance to play football, but thank God everything is over now,” the former Ghana U-17 goalkeeper told Completesportsnigeria.com.
“The knee injury took longer than expected to get healed and I have to come back home here in Ghana to get it fully treated.
“I will be rejoining my teammates on Friday to get fully prepared for the new season.”
Bonsu also backed newly appointed head coach of the team, Gbenga Ogunbote to have a successful stay at the club.
“Coach Gbenga Ogunbote is an experienced coach, one of the best in the Nigeria Professional Football League.
” I believe he will be a successful with us and I look forward to working with him.”
The difficulties of statistical thinking describes a puzzling limitation of our mind: our excessive confidence in what we believe we know, and our apparent inability to acknowledge the full extent of our ignorance and the uncertainty of the world we live in. We are prone to overestimate how much we understand about the world and to underestimate the role of chance in events -- Daniel Kahneman (2011), Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics
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Re: 17/18 Season Nigerian Premier League: Preparations....

Post by Enugu II »

Plateau United sign 9 new players
https://www.today.ng/sport/football/288 ... -9-players
ByIroha Udoka -November 2, 2017


Plateau United have agreed terms with nine players with coach Kennedy Boboye saying the NPFL champions have completed their transfer dealings ahead of the new season.

King Osanga (FC Ifeanyiubah), Charles Henlon (Enugu Rangers), Amos Gyang (Kano Pillars), Tosin Omoyele (Osun United), Henry Ochuba (Abia Warriors), Okeimute Odah, Raphael Anyagwa (Lobi Stars), Afolabi Wahab (Gombe United) as well as free agent Peter Terna Suswam.

FC Ifeanyiubah central defender Stephen Eze is the only transfer target of the champions yet to pitch.

The Jos club released 12 players from last season.

“We are done with recruitment of players and the team is gradually taking shape with the response of the players both new and old,” coach Boboye said.
The difficulties of statistical thinking describes a puzzling limitation of our mind: our excessive confidence in what we believe we know, and our apparent inability to acknowledge the full extent of our ignorance and the uncertainty of the world we live in. We are prone to overestimate how much we understand about the world and to underestimate the role of chance in events -- Daniel Kahneman (2011), Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics
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Re: 17/18 Season Nigerian Premier League: Preparations....

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Enugu II wrote:
Plateau United sign 9 new players
https://www.today.ng/sport/football/288 ... -9-players
ByIroha Udoka -November 2, 2017


Plateau United have agreed terms with nine players with coach Kennedy Boboye saying the NPFL champions have completed their transfer dealings ahead of the new season.

King Osanga (FC Ifeanyiubah), Charles Henlon (Enugu Rangers), Amos Gyang (Kano Pillars), Tosin Omoyele (Osun United), Henry Ochuba (Abia Warriors), Okeimute Odah, Raphael Anyagwa (Lobi Stars), Afolabi Wahab (Gombe United) as well as free agent Peter Terna Suswam.

FC Ifeanyiubah central defender Stephen Eze is the only transfer target of the champions yet to pitch.

The Jos club released 12 players from last season.

“We are done with recruitment of players and the team is gradually taking shape with the response of the players both new and old,” coach Boboye said.
This dude is back on the local scene? Good on him... :clap:
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Re: 17/18 Season Nigerian Premier League: Preparations....

Post by ohenhen1 »

Did CAF approve their stadium?
Winners do it the right way.

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Re: 17/18 Season Nigerian Premier League: Preparations....

Post by FATHER TIKO »

Enugu II wrote:
Plateau United sign 9 new players
https://www.today.ng/sport/football/288 ... -9-players
ByIroha Udoka -November 2, 2017


Plateau United have agreed terms with nine players with coach Kennedy Boboye saying the NPFL champions have completed their transfer dealings ahead of the new season.

King Osanga (FC Ifeanyiubah), Charles Henlon (Enugu Rangers), Amos Gyang (Kano Pillars), Tosin Omoyele (Osun United), Henry Ochuba (Abia Warriors), Okeimute Odah, Raphael Anyagwa (Lobi Stars), Afolabi Wahab (Gombe United) as well as free agent Peter Terna Suswam.

FC Ifeanyiubah central defender Stephen Eze is the only transfer target of the champions yet to pitch.

The Jos club released 12 players from last season.

“We are done with recruitment of players and the team is gradually taking shape with the response of the players both new and old,” coach Boboye said.
Release 9 players, bring in 12 players...

Incomprehensible why Nigerian clubs keep repeating this recipe without success on the continent...
You release 9 players in one transfer season, yet you expect to do well within 4 months when CAF Competitions kick off...

What's the term for doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome each time..?
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Re: 17/18 Season Nigerian Premier League: Preparations....

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Enugu II wrote:
Plateau United sign 9 new players
https://www.today.ng/sport/football/288 ... -9-players
ByIroha Udoka -November 2, 2017


Plateau United have agreed terms with nine players with coach Kennedy Boboye saying the NPFL champions have completed their transfer dealings ahead of the new season.

King Osanga (FC Ifeanyiubah), Charles Henlon (Enugu Rangers), Amos Gyang (Kano Pillars), Tosin Omoyele (Osun United), Henry Ochuba (Abia Warriors), Okeimute Odah, Raphael Anyagwa (Lobi Stars), Afolabi Wahab (Gombe United) as well as free agent Peter Terna Suswam.

FC Ifeanyiubah central defender Stephen Eze is the only transfer target of the champions yet to pitch.

The Jos club released 12 players from last season.

“We are done with recruitment of players and the team is gradually taking shape with the response of the players both new and old,” coach Boboye said.
That boy is a certified baller. If he does not make it big, it will not be because he is lacking in ability. I saw him in the match Lobi v Rangers when i visited home, i delibrately went through this list believing a good coach recruiting for continental assignment would have spotted this gem...i have been vindicated.
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Re: 17/18 Season Nigerian Premier League: Preparations....

Post by wiseone »

Do most NPL clubs have foreign players on their books? I recall when Enyimba had international players from Ghana (Joetex Frimpong), Niger (Niger Republic international GK Saminou), Benin (Muri Ogunbiyi), and even Brazil!
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Re: 17/18 Season Nigerian Premier League: Preparations....

Post by ukwala »

FATHER TIKO wrote:
Enugu II wrote:
Plateau United sign 9 new players
https://www.today.ng/sport/football/288 ... -9-players
ByIroha Udoka -November 2, 2017


Plateau United have agreed terms with nine players with coach Kennedy Boboye saying the NPFL champions have completed their transfer dealings ahead of the new season.

King Osanga (FC Ifeanyiubah), Charles Henlon (Enugu Rangers), Amos Gyang (Kano Pillars), Tosin Omoyele (Osun United), Henry Ochuba (Abia Warriors), Okeimute Odah, Raphael Anyagwa (Lobi Stars), Afolabi Wahab (Gombe United) as well as free agent Peter Terna Suswam.

FC Ifeanyiubah central defender Stephen Eze is the only transfer target of the champions yet to pitch.

The Jos club released 12 players from last season.

“We are done with recruitment of players and the team is gradually taking shape with the response of the players both new and old,” coach Boboye said.
Release 9 players, bring in 12 players...

Incomprehensible why Nigerian clubs keep repeating this recipe without success on the continent...
You release 9 players in one transfer season, yet you expect to do well within 4 months when CAF Competitions kick off...

What's the term for doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome each time..?
I want to believe that the 12 released players were not key players and that the 9 new players are of better quality and will actually strengthen the squad.
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Re: 17/18 Season Nigerian Premier League: Preparations....

Post by Enugu II »

wiseone wrote:Do most NPL clubs have foreign players on their books? I recall when Enyimba had international players from Ghana (Joetex Frimpong), Niger (Niger Republic international GK Saminou), Benin (Muri Ogunbiyi), and even Brazil!

Wiseone,

Yes, they continue to recruit from other countries.
The difficulties of statistical thinking describes a puzzling limitation of our mind: our excessive confidence in what we believe we know, and our apparent inability to acknowledge the full extent of our ignorance and the uncertainty of the world we live in. We are prone to overestimate how much we understand about the world and to underestimate the role of chance in events -- Daniel Kahneman (2011), Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics
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Re: 17/18 Season Nigerian Premier League: Preparations....

Post by Enugu II »

LOL, Gambo na veteran but Plateau should watch out as this guy usually finds a way to renege and return to Kano. In any case, last year in Kano was not too good for him as he sat mostly on the bench. His choice of Jos over PH may be one of proximity to Kano. :rotf: :rotf:
Kano Pillars skipper Gambo Mohammed reveals why he chose Plateau United ahead Rivers United
http://scorenigeria.com.ng/2017/11/03/k ... rs-united/
By admin - November 3, 2017, 3:40 pm144 0
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Gambo Mohammed signs for Plateau United after initially agreeing terms with Rivers United
Kano Pillars skipper Gambo Mohammed has told SCORENigeria he opted to join Plateau United after he initially agreed a move to Rivers United because the Jos were more committed to sign him.

The Kano Pillars all-time leading scorer told SCORENigeria: “I joined Plateau United because they looked more serious than Rivers United who I had negotiated with.



“I am a player who believes football is all about commitment and motivation, and Plateau United seem to think so too and so I took the decision to join them instead of Rivers United.

“I was happy with my personal terms at Rivers United, but Plateau United offer is also attractive.

“I am going nowhere again, I am a player of Plateau United.”
The difficulties of statistical thinking describes a puzzling limitation of our mind: our excessive confidence in what we believe we know, and our apparent inability to acknowledge the full extent of our ignorance and the uncertainty of the world we live in. We are prone to overestimate how much we understand about the world and to underestimate the role of chance in events -- Daniel Kahneman (2011), Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics
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Re: 17/18 Season Nigerian Premier League: Preparations....

Post by oloye »

FATHER TIKO wrote:
Enugu II wrote:
Plateau United sign 9 new players
https://www.today.ng/sport/football/288 ... -9-players
ByIroha Udoka -November 2, 2017


Plateau United have agreed terms with nine players with coach Kennedy Boboye saying the NPFL champions have completed their transfer dealings ahead of the new season.

King Osanga (FC Ifeanyiubah), Charles Henlon (Enugu Rangers), Amos Gyang (Kano Pillars), Tosin Omoyele (Osun United), Henry Ochuba (Abia Warriors), Okeimute Odah, Raphael Anyagwa (Lobi Stars), Afolabi Wahab (Gombe United) as well as free agent Peter Terna Suswam.

FC Ifeanyiubah central defender Stephen Eze is the only transfer target of the champions yet to pitch.

The Jos club released 12 players from last season.

“We are done with recruitment of players and the team is gradually taking shape with the response of the players both new and old,” coach Boboye said.
Release 9 players, bring in 12 players...

Incomprehensible why Nigerian clubs keep repeating this recipe without success on the continent...
You release 9 players in one transfer season, yet you expect to do well within 4 months when CAF Competitions kick off...

What's the term for doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome each time..?
Most teams have large numbers mostly dead woods. The 12 released might not neccesarilly be in the main team. An average naija team would have about 30 players amongst whom would be players recommended by oga at the top.
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Re: 17/18 Season Nigerian Premier League: Preparations....

Post by The Eagle »

On NTA Network News tonight, the anchor said NTA .... a federally-funded public broadcaster, theoretically meant to broadcast public interest content that might not otherwise be commercially viable .... will be broadcasting an English League match "live" tomorrow.

In the near future, I hope to hear about a deal between NTA, NFF and NPFL to broadcast at least one "live" Nigerian League match each week on NTA (and its online internet streaming platforms) when the new season starts. :twisted: :twisted:
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Re: 17/18 Season Nigerian Premier League: Preparations....

Post by zee »

The Eagle wrote:On NTA Network News tonight, the anchor said NTA .... a federally-funded public broadcaster, theoretically meant to broadcast public interest content that might not otherwise be commercially viable .... will be broadcasting an English League match "live" tomorrow.

In the near future, I hope to hear about a deal between NTA, NFF and NPFL to broadcast at least one "live" Nigerian League match each week on NTA (and its online internet streaming platforms) when the new season starts. :twisted: :twisted:
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Re: 17/18 Season Nigerian Premier League: Preparations....

Post by Dammy »

ohenhen1 wrote:Did CAF approve their stadium?
They have a new Stadium that just needs painting and seats to be completed.
I am happy
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Re: 17/18 Season Nigerian Premier League: Preparations....

Post by mystic »

Looking forward to seeing what Plateau United will do on the continent. Kennedy Boboye is a good coach.
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Re: 17/18 Season Nigerian Premier League: Preparations....

Post by oyek »

When is the new season starting sef?
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Re: 17/18 Season Nigerian Premier League: Preparations....

Post by Enugu II »

The difficulties of statistical thinking describes a puzzling limitation of our mind: our excessive confidence in what we believe we know, and our apparent inability to acknowledge the full extent of our ignorance and the uncertainty of the world we live in. We are prone to overestimate how much we understand about the world and to underestimate the role of chance in events -- Daniel Kahneman (2011), Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics
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Re: 17/18 Season Nigerian Premier League: Preparations....

Post by Enugu II »

NPFL: New season to start January 14, to observe World Cup break
Fisayo DairoFisayo Dairo November 16, 2017 Football, News, Nigeria League
https://www.aclsports.com/6965-2/

The 2017/18 season of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) will commence on January 14, 2018, the League Management Company confirmed on Thursday.

According to the season’s timeline made available to www.aclsports.com by LMC’s Special Duties Manager, Harry Iwuala, the season’s prelude, The Super Four tournament will hold on December 11-17 before the season gets underway about a month later.

Draws for the new season, pre-season seminar and spot checking on Clubs compliance to licensing regulations, payment of players and officials salaries, status of facilities among others will all hold in December.

Another key feature of the 2017/18 calendar is on January 8, 2018 when the LMC, which is First Instance Body (FIB) will issue the NFF Club Licensing Certificate to qualified clubs that meet the criteria for participation in the 2017/2018 NPFL Season, one week before the commencement of the season.

“The 2017/18 season will start at all centers on January 14 and in the first stanza, there will be three midweek matches on match days 2, 4 and 5 while the midseason break will be from April 30- May 5 and a longer break for the FIFA World Cup from June 14-July 15.

“Resumption from the World Cup break will be on July 18 with match day 25 which will be the first of another three midweek matches in the second stanza. The other two midweek fixtures will be on match day 27 and 29,” a part of the release revealed.

The NPFL pre-season tournament in December is expected to have six teams participating instead of the usual four.

Nigeria’s representatives in CAF club competitions next year Plateau United, MFM FC, Enyimba and Akwa United will be joined by hosts Kano Pillars and Nigeria’s home-based Super Eagles in the week-long tournament.
The difficulties of statistical thinking describes a puzzling limitation of our mind: our excessive confidence in what we believe we know, and our apparent inability to acknowledge the full extent of our ignorance and the uncertainty of the world we live in. We are prone to overestimate how much we understand about the world and to underestimate the role of chance in events -- Daniel Kahneman (2011), Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics
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Re: 17/18 Season Nigerian Premier League: Preparations....

Post by ukwala »

Enugu II wrote:
NPFL: New season to start January 14, to observe World Cup break
Fisayo DairoFisayo Dairo November 16, 2017 Football, News, Nigeria League
https://www.aclsports.com/6965-2/

The 2017/18 season of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) will commence on January 14, 2018, the League Management Company confirmed on Thursday.

According to the season’s timeline made available to http://www.aclsports.com by LMC’s Special Duties Manager, Harry Iwuala, the season’s prelude, The Super Four tournament will hold on December 11-17 before the season gets underway about a month later.

Draws for the new season, pre-season seminar and spot checking on Clubs compliance to licensing regulations, payment of players and officials salaries, status of facilities among others will all hold in December.

Another key feature of the 2017/18 calendar is on January 8, 2018 when the LMC, which is First Instance Body (FIB) will issue the NFF Club Licensing Certificate to qualified clubs that meet the criteria for participation in the 2017/2018 NPFL Season, one week before the commencement of the season.

“The 2017/18 season will start at all centers on January 14 and in the first stanza, there will be three midweek matches on match days 2, 4 and 5 while the midseason break will be from April 30- May 5 and a longer break for the FIFA World Cup from June 14-July 15.

“Resumption from the World Cup break will be on July 18 with match day 25 which will be the first of another three midweek matches in the second stanza. The other two midweek fixtures will be on match day 27 and 29,” a part of the release revealed.

The NPFL pre-season tournament in December is expected to have six teams participating instead of the usual four.

Nigeria’s representatives in CAF club competitions next year Plateau United, MFM FC, Enyimba and Akwa United will be joined by hosts Kano Pillars and Nigeria’s home-based Super Eagles in the week-long tournament.
Shame that they will break during the world cup when no player (or at best 1 player) will be participating AND will not break during CHAN when 23 players will be involved!! Does it make sense that the league will be going on when clubs are missing key players??? The world cup break is probably just to enable LMC officials, who otherwise may have been busy with the league, travel to Russia.
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Re: 17/18 Season Nigerian Premier League: Preparations....

Post by Enugu II »

Deepening youth development culture in NPFL clubs
Published on Wednesday, 15 November 2017 14:06 Hits: 587
http://npfl.ng/index.php/news-features/ ... npfl-clubs
By Clement Nwankpa Jr

The future of the beautiful game is in the youth. Every nation that aspires to excel in international football must evolve a system that ensures regular supply of fresh talents.

Nigeria has won the U-17 World Championship a record five times. Ironically, this has not reflected in the nation's performances at the World Cup. This has led to a clamour for a more institutionalised process that guarantees a regular supply of quality young talents.

There have also been concerns over the ageing players paraded by Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) clubs. The production chain of younger players appeared broken as the same players are recycled by the clubs every season.

"We have to ensure the average ages of our teams are reduced. We have ageing teams and there is a need to freshen up the teams. I also think it has affected our performance in the continental tournaments", LMC Chairman, Shehu Dikko said in a recent interview with the media.

It is a challenge that the League Management Company (LMC) recognized over the years and in 2015, it made provision for clubs in the NPFL to register five players below 18 years outside the stipulated 35 players a club could register for the season. For any of those player under the age of 18 that a club fields for fifteen minutes, the club gets N100,000 and N200,000 if such a player sees 45 minutes of action. These incentives have encouraged the clubs to dig deeper and unearth players from the junior teams.

A club can register maximum of 35 senior players for a season and assign jersey numbers 1 to 35 to such players while those of the U-18 are assigned numbers 36 to 40.

It is one thing to put this rule; it is another to ensure the clubs have a functional system that aids the process. Desirous of making a success of building a structured youth football culture for NPFL, the LMC sought to assist the clubs set up virile feeder teams by organising the maiden edition of the U-15 Future Promises tournament. The 20 NPFL clubs compulsorily fielded teams in the tournament won by Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) FC. Players selected from this tournament recently represented the country in a two-legged friendly against Morocco in Rabat.

Earlier in March, the NPFL U-17 All Stars had featured in the Future Champions Tournament in Gauteng South Africa. The team paraded U17 players picked from the NPFL clubs in the tournament which had U-17 teams of Torino, Athletico Madrid, Spartak Moscow, Mamelodi Sundowns, Club Brugge, Orlando Pyrates, Club Tijuana, University of Pretoria, Football School of India and Bitwest Wits.

The clubs now have an incentive to make their feeder teams stronger and regularly promote products to the main team so as to utilise the U-18 quota.

HOW HAS THE RULE IMPACTED ON THE CLUBS?

A survey showed that all the NPFL clubs are taking advantage of this provision. Beyond adding depth and freshness to their squads, it has also helped save cost of purchasing established players. Notably, Kano Pillars latched on this to introduce Nazifi Yahaya at a time the ageing team was in dire need of fresh legs. Yahaya was a standout performer in NPFL U-17 All Stars squad to Gauteng. There are many such cases in clubs such as El-Kanemi Warriors, Nasarawa United, ABS, Shooting Stars and Akwa United that elevated a number of young players to their main squad.

NASARAWA UNITED TURN TO YOUTHS

Chairman of the Club Owners Association and Nasarawa United Chairman, Barrister Isaac Danladi believes the exercise has been a success. In his opinion, it has made the clubs even stronger and more viable.

"We are reaping bountifully from this initiative. The first choice keeper of the NPFL U-17 All Stars to South Africa, Mohammed Galadima is from our feeder team. This season, he is pushing seriously to take over in the main team. You need to see him during preseason", Danladi said.

He revealed that the Solid Miners will register six players from the U-15 team that played in NPFL U-15 Future Promises for next season.

"This is something all the clubs should key into. It is one of the best decisions LMC has taken to protect the future of Nigerian football and we should help it succeed. I am willing to go the extra mile at Nasarawa next season. We have to give the youths a chance", he added.

...ABIA WARRIORS UNVEILS FOOTBALL ACADEMY IN A FORTNIGHT

Abia Warriors chairman, Chief Emeka Inyama sees the programme as a masterstroke.

His words: "To say this is a huge success is an understatement. It is the norm across the globe and LMC must be commended for resorting to best global practices. For a club to be truly professional, it must have a functional feeder team and a process that ensures players consistently graduate from feeder to main teams. That is what is obtainable in other leagues where the future is of paramount importance. Ours shouldn't be different.

"For this season, we intend having as many as four U-18 players. At least, two will be promoted from the feeder team to join the two we promoted last season. Here at Warriors, we encourage the youth and this LMC initiative is highly welcome. Any club that doesn't key into it is missing a lot. In the long run, you will find out others have overtaken you. That is the way to go in the modern game."

He continued: "You need to have players who grow up with a club's orientation. It's as if they have this clubs in their DNAs. Wayne Rooney started from Everton and after his sojourn at Manchester United, he has gone back to Everton. It was the same thing with Pep Guardiola and Barcelona. We have to encourage homegrown talents.

"This has led us to set up an U-13 team. The boys are all in Secondary Schools and they train twice on week days and on weekends. The ones in boarding schools join them on weekends. We have established the Abia Warriors Football Academy to be unveiled in the next two weeks".

EVEN THE CHAMPIONS ARE NOT LEFT OUT

Elsewhere, Plateau United did not win a historic top flight title with hundred percent established players. They also took advantage of the U-18 window. An exercise, club General Manager, Pius Henwan doesn't regret.

"We can't keep using the same set of players in the league every season. By the way, the ones that are stars today were once like these ones. We played about five last season. There are about two who didn't impress last season. We intend to drop them and promote another two that we have discovered from the feeder team. The prominent ones among those we used last season were Mafeng Pam and Damian Longmiap.

"We have a very strong feeder team and we encourage the team to play tournaments both within and outside Plateau. That is the only way you can be sure the supply is not cut", he observed.

Henwan doesn't believe the boys are too young to be involved on the continent.

"If they are good enough to win the league, they are good enough to play in the Champions League. We will register at least three or four of them for our continental assignment. That is another way to speed up their growth", he enthused.

ENYIMBA JOIN THE HARVEST

One club renowned for recruiting the best legs in the land are, two-time African champions, Enyimba International. This time they are not left out in the harvest from the feeder teams. Enyimba Sporting Director, Jude Anyadufu spoke glowingly of the initiative.

"This is a fantastic idea by the LMC. In one of the CAF club seminars I represented Enyimba in Egypt, I had told them about this U-18 initiative in our league while calling on CAF to give such incentives for U-18 players fielded in continental matches. They applauded it and based on that, LMC Chief Operating Officer, Salihu Abubakar was invited to deliver a paper on players licensing and given an award.

"Clubs should dig deep and groom their own players instead of going into the market all the time. One of the U-18 players we registered last season, Ikouwem Udoh is actually benching Chima Akas at the left back. The boy did so well last season and that has made us to start looking at two more players from the feeder team for next season. The two players recommended from the feeder team are Paschal Eze, a central defender and Energy Akwaji, a defensive midfielder. They are with us on our preseason tour and should be involved this season", he pointed out.

WE ARE THE BIGGEST BENEFICIARIES, ABS CLAIM

Despite being relegated at the end of the season, ABS Director of football, Alloy Chukwuemeka believes the club reaped most from the U-18 initiative last season.

He said: "You know our U-15 team won the NPFL U-15 Promises and we produced the most valuable player in Olusegun Olakunle. You will agree with me that a team that turned in such a result should have quality players. We cashed in on the rules and promoted three of the boys to the main team right away. Playing in the NPFL gave them more confidence.

"As I speak with you, 16 of our players have joined NPFL clubs so we have fallen back on the three players from the U-15 team with additional six from the feeder team, making it nine. Added to the players we retained, this has helped us cushion the effect of the exodus as we strategize to bounce back to NPFL. So I will say the programme has helped us tremendously".

He believes LMC's move was in the best interest of Nigerian football.

"Since we don't have a well structured youth development system, this initiative by LMC is very timely. The NFF and our age group national team coaches should key into this. It has made their task easier", he advised.

RANGERS TO USE MORE OF THE SLOTS NEXT SEASON

Rangers produced the top scorer of the U-15 Promises in the free-scoring Million Koma while central defender Chukwuemeka Egbuchulam captained the U-15 selected to Morocco. There are plans to get these two involved in the main team next season. This much was revealed by Team Manager, Amobi Ezeaku.

"We used one of the slots last season to feature goalkeeper, Chisom Chiaha. We intend using all the five slots this season. We are encouraged by the quality of players in our feeder team", he observed.

He believes the initiative will accelerate the development of the players.

"It is beneficial on two fronts; the psychological and physical development of players. When a player trains with professionals, his morale is boosted. Then physically, his muscles are toughened and his game improves. This (the initiative) is a wonderful idea."
The difficulties of statistical thinking describes a puzzling limitation of our mind: our excessive confidence in what we believe we know, and our apparent inability to acknowledge the full extent of our ignorance and the uncertainty of the world we live in. We are prone to overestimate how much we understand about the world and to underestimate the role of chance in events -- Daniel Kahneman (2011), Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics
Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics
Enugu II
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Re: 17/18 Season Nigerian Premier League: Preparations....

Post by Enugu II »

Enugu II wrote:LOL, Gambo na veteran but Plateau should watch out as this guy usually finds a way to renege and return to Kano. In any case, last year in Kano was not too good for him as he sat mostly on the bench. His choice of Jos over PH may be one of proximity to Kano. :rotf: :rotf:
Kano Pillars skipper Gambo Mohammed reveals why he chose Plateau United ahead Rivers United
http://scorenigeria.com.ng/2017/11/03/k ... rs-united/
By admin - November 3, 2017, 3:40 pm144 0
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Gambo Mohammed signs for Plateau United after initially agreeing terms with Rivers United
Kano Pillars skipper Gambo Mohammed has told SCORENigeria he opted to join Plateau United after he initially agreed a move to Rivers United because the Jos were more committed to sign him.

The Kano Pillars all-time leading scorer told SCORENigeria: “I joined Plateau United because they looked more serious than Rivers United who I had negotiated with.



“I am a player who believes football is all about commitment and motivation, and Plateau United seem to think so too and so I took the decision to join them instead of Rivers United.

“I was happy with my personal terms at Rivers United, but Plateau United offer is also attractive.

“I am going nowhere again, I am a player of Plateau United.”

Just as I had speculated, Gambo returns HOME. :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:
Gambo Mohammed rejoins Kano Pillars after he tenders apology
By admin - November 22, 2017, 11:03 pm107 0
http://scorenigeria.com.ng/2017/11/22/g ... s-apology/
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Gambo Mohammed has rejoined Kano Pillars after he tendered an apology to the club management over some of his recent comments and some senior players in the team also pleaded for his return.

Kano Pillars chairman, Tukur Babangida, said the striker can now rejoin the team.

“Based on the apology and remorse shown by Gambo Mohammed and coupled with the appeal made by some players on his behalf, the management has decided to give the player a chance to rejoin the team,” Babangida said.

Gambo’s attempt to join Rivers United and then NPFL champions Plateau United for the new season has failed and in the course of this it was claimed he made some derogatory remarks about the club and the management.

Pillars spokesman Idris Malikawa further told SCORENigeria that the club now expect Gambo and other players in the team to be of better conduct.

“We expect Gambo and every other player in this club to be good ambassadors,” he enjoined.
The difficulties of statistical thinking describes a puzzling limitation of our mind: our excessive confidence in what we believe we know, and our apparent inability to acknowledge the full extent of our ignorance and the uncertainty of the world we live in. We are prone to overestimate how much we understand about the world and to underestimate the role of chance in events -- Daniel Kahneman (2011), Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics
Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics
Enugu II
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Re: 17/18 Season Nigerian Premier League: Preparations....

Post by Enugu II »

Five Takeaways from Abia Warriors vs El-Kanemi tune-up tie
http://npfl.ng/index.php/news-features/ ... une-up-tie
Published on Sunday, 26 November 2017 17:39 Hits: 409
By Clement Nwankpa Jr

Ocheme Edoh's 26th minute strike was all El-Kanemi Warriors needed to beat Abia Warriors 1-0 in a pre-season friendly at Umuahia Township Stadium. Here are five takeaways from the thrilling encounter


Everton's back three experiment
New Abia Warriors coach, Rafael Everton has been toying with the idea of deploying a three-man central defence next season. This was a perfect platform to test this formation against a formidable opposition. This was just a friendly. There is still ample time for him to work on this experiment and see whether it is sustainable. Austin Obaroakpo featured on the right side of the back three, Chinedu Efugh played in the centre and Abiodun Adebayo to the left. A couple of times the trio were caught out of position as they struggled to come to terms with the demands. The biggest culprit was Obaroakpo, who at some point got lost in a full back position. There were also those important details of getting the wing backs Emmanuel Ogbuagu and Goodluck Ozioma create the desired incision from the flanks well aware that they had ample cover from three central defenders.

El-Kanemi love it in Umuahia
This was just a friendly but the importance of avoiding a defeat was not lost on the Abia Warriors faithful. El-Kanemi won in Umuahia last season before completing a double on Abia Warriors in Maiduguri. They felt at ease in Umuahia. The arena is becoming a good hunting ground.

Ocheme still has class
Ocheme's sublime strike was a deserving winner. The composure he showed in turning away and hitting target highlighted his class. His off-the-ball runs and knack to hold up the ball and play on his teammates was the highpoint of El-Kanemi's counter-attacking disposition. It had been observed that Abia Warriors back three had positional difficulties, Ocheme's runs posed the biggest threat.

Abia Warriors need another striker
Abia Warriors were definitely the better team on the day. For a neutral, they were the better jelled team and provided more entertainment. It is obvious Everton is putting together a bunch of entertainers but he must find a way to have a more solid presence in the final third. They had problems getting behind the visitors' back four and most of their attempts at goal were long range efforts. The club cannot afford an over-reliance on Sunday Adetunji, who, by the way, may not be available for the beginning of the season. Another fox in the box should be a priority. If they had one in this game, the result would have been different. They didn't really deserve to lose.

Imama yet to assert himself on this team
Imama Amapakabo is noted for his high-pressing game. This El-Kanemi team were far from a vintage Imama performance. Little wonder he was furious and kicked the rail from the stands where he chose to watch the game in one instance when a player passed the ball backwards when a teammate had made an attacking run. It was more of a cautious display and the team discipline must be applauded, but Imama has not got a hold on this team yet. Was it why he did not sit on the bench?
The difficulties of statistical thinking describes a puzzling limitation of our mind: our excessive confidence in what we believe we know, and our apparent inability to acknowledge the full extent of our ignorance and the uncertainty of the world we live in. We are prone to overestimate how much we understand about the world and to underestimate the role of chance in events -- Daniel Kahneman (2011), Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics
Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics
ukwala
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Re: 17/18 Season Nigerian Premier League: Preparations....

Post by ukwala »

Enugu II wrote:
Five Takeaways from Abia Warriors vs El-Kanemi tune-up tie
http://npfl.ng/index.php/news-features/ ... une-up-tie
Published on Sunday, 26 November 2017 17:39 Hits: 409
By Clement Nwankpa Jr

Ocheme Edoh's 26th minute strike was all El-Kanemi Warriors needed to beat Abia Warriors 1-0 in a pre-season friendly at Umuahia Township Stadium. Here are five takeaways from the thrilling encounter


Everton's back three experiment
New Abia Warriors coach, Rafael Everton has been toying with the idea of deploying a three-man central defence next season. This was a perfect platform to test this formation against a formidable opposition. This was just a friendly. There is still ample time for him to work on this experiment and see whether it is sustainable. Austin Obaroakpo featured on the right side of the back three, Chinedu Efugh played in the centre and Abiodun Adebayo to the left. A couple of times the trio were caught out of position as they struggled to come to terms with the demands. The biggest culprit was Obaroakpo, who at some point got lost in a full back position. There were also those important details of getting the wing backs Emmanuel Ogbuagu and Goodluck Ozioma create the desired incision from the flanks well aware that they had ample cover from three central defenders.

El-Kanemi love it in Umuahia
This was just a friendly but the importance of avoiding a defeat was not lost on the Abia Warriors faithful. El-Kanemi won in Umuahia last season before completing a double on Abia Warriors in Maiduguri. They felt at ease in Umuahia. The arena is becoming a good hunting ground.

Ocheme still has class
Ocheme's sublime strike was a deserving winner. The composure he showed in turning away and hitting target highlighted his class. His off-the-ball runs and knack to hold up the ball and play on his teammates was the highpoint of El-Kanemi's counter-attacking disposition. It had been observed that Abia Warriors back three had positional difficulties, Ocheme's runs posed the biggest threat.

Abia Warriors need another striker
Abia Warriors were definitely the better team on the day. For a neutral, they were the better jelled team and provided more entertainment. It is obvious Everton is putting together a bunch of entertainers but he must find a way to have a more solid presence in the final third. They had problems getting behind the visitors' back four and most of their attempts at goal were long range efforts. The club cannot afford an over-reliance on Sunday Adetunji, who, by the way, may not be available for the beginning of the season. Another fox in the box should be a priority. If they had one in this game, the result would have been different. They didn't really deserve to lose.

Imama yet to assert himself on this team
Imama Amapakabo is noted for his high-pressing game. This El-Kanemi team were far from a vintage Imama performance. Little wonder he was furious and kicked the rail from the stands where he chose to watch the game in one instance when a player passed the ball backwards when a teammate had made an attacking run. It was more of a cautious display and the team discipline must be applauded, but Imama has not got a hold on this team yet. Was it why he did not sit on the bench?
So Imama took Ocheme Edoh along with him from Rangers to El-kanemi!!! I wonder who else he has poached from us!!

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