Naija Super 8 Finals, Good Preparation for NPL Test, Says Katsina Utd Coach
Kunle Adewale
Before the Naija Super 8 Play offs held at the Eket Township Stadium in Eket, Akwa Ibom, Katsina United Coach, Usman Abdallah has always insisted that gaining promotion to the Nigeria Premier League, (NPL) was the club’s top priority and that their encounter against Kano Pillars at Eket was just a good preparation for the Changi Boys’ promotion quest.
True to type, Katsina United gained promotion to the NPL after picking one of the tickets at the Nigeria National League, NNL, Super 8 play offs at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, Delta State.
Speaking with THISDAY ahead of their Naija Super 8 finals clash against Sporting Lagos tomorrow at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Abudullah said the focus of the team now is to use the Lagos showdown to expose his players ahead of the battle when the NPL kicks off.
“It’s a good thing we will be playing against some of the teams we would be encountering when the NPL kicks off in the Naija Super 8 finals, it therefore a good opportunity to expose the players to the battle that lies ahead of them when the season starts.
“After this tournament we can now analyse our performance and then determine the next line of action. If we will need to booster the team with some more experienced players or what have you. But a lot would be determined by what the management wants for the team,” the former Enyimba of Aba expressed.
Katsina United put up a thrilling performance against Kano Pillars at the Naija Super 8 Play offs at the Eket Township Stadium and ran away with a lone goal victory.
However, Pillars felt hard done after the centre referee failed to award what many at the stadium felt was a glaring penalty which would have given them the lead if awarded and converted, but Katsina Utd proved that the victory over their northern rival as they did the double over coach Evans Ogeyi boys pipping them 1-0.
It is this grouse that coach Sani Lawan and his boys would be taking to the Nigeria National League, NNL, play offs where both teams would be battling for the ticket for promotion to the Nigeria Premier League, NPL, at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.
To ensure that there will be no repeat of any obvious error the egg heads of the Nigeria Referee Association have promised to have their best referees on parade when Pillars and Katsina United clash in Asaba.
“I asked the referee after the match why he refused to award Kano Pillars the penalty and he said the player’s hand was not in an unnatural position that was why he didn’t give it as a penalty kick,” an NRA top official who would not want his name in print told THISDAY.
“However, to ensure there is no room for error when both sides clash again in Asaba, we would ensure that our best referees are in charge,” he promised.
Speaking with THISDAY after the game in Eket, Abdallah admitted that Pillars were on course to have craved for a penalty to be awarded to them, that it was indeed a hand ball but felt the hand was however in a natural position. Just as he said if the referee’s decision had gone otherwise his team would have accepted it in good faith.
“The referee ruled out the penalty because the hand of the player was in a natural position, that was why he didn’t blow it as a penalty. That is my thought, but it was the referee’s choice. If he had blown it a penalty, there would have been little or no argument about it, “ Abdallah said.
The former Enyimba of Aba coach however said winning the Naija Super 8 Play offs was not really in the club’s agenda, but rather, it was a test run for their promotion quest in the NNL Super 8 Play offs in Asaba.
“The match could have gone either way, but the win would definitely serve as a moral booster for our play off matches in Asaba. Before the game I stated that the result of the match against Pillars does not really matter but rather to see the quality my boys would put up and make the necessary corrections be the Asaba showdown,” he noted.
