Late Kickstart of NPFL has Undermined Last Season’s Gain, Says Taju Disu
Kunle Adewale
Newly appointed Technical Director of the Lagos State Football Association, LASFA, Taju Disu has berated the Gbenga Elegbeleye led NPFL board for failing to kickstart the Nigeria Premier Football League on schedule saying it has lost whatever gain the league recorded last season.
“By not starting the league on time NPFL has lost all the gains it recorded during last season’s league. Those that were in charge of running the league should have cashed-in on the momentum the NPFL and most especially the Super Six generated but rather they kept on postponing the kickstart of the league and fans are beginning to lose trust on those at the helms of affairs of the NPFL board,” Disu said.
The former captain of the defunct Abiola Babes FC of Abeokuta indeed blamed the administrators of the league for the ouster of the country’s clubs representatives on the continent.
“How would our clubs not be knocked out in the first round of continental Championship when the players are match rusty because there was no league to keep them busy and in shape, unlike their opponents that are involved in the league in their home land and their players are in form and shape. Its very glaring why our two representatives in the CAF Champions League-Enyimba FC and Remo Stars crashed out in the first round. Where is the league that will prepare the clubs for such a competitive Championship.
“And until we start putting people that have passion for the game to run the league and not political appointees and stooges, early exits in the continent will the bane of our club representatives. A league that was suppose to kick off in the first week of August is now kick-starting in the end of September, which is almost two months later than schedule, such can only happen in Nigeria,” the former Nigeria Junior international queried.
Speaking further, the captain of Lagos State in the football event of the 1981 National Sports Festival, NSF, Bendel ’81, said the only reason the league suffered postponements on three occasions was as a result of the selfish interest of the administrators.
“Instead of thinking of how to develop the league all they care for is what they would grab. That is why players are not selected for the national team from the league, so what are they playing for,” Disu expressed.
After several postponements the NPFL will kick off this weekend in several centres.
