Will Elegbeleye Borrow a Leaf from Premier League?

Kunle Adewale

Two weeks after the conclusion of the 2023-2024 League season, the organisers announced the date for the release of the 2024-2024 season, which was fixed for June 18. True to type, the fixtures for the new season were announced in the morning of the date promised and come August 17, the world will start enjoying the Premier League and its unpredictability.

Unlike the Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, that is always characterised by several postponements. The kick start of the just concluded 2023-2024 NPFL season was postponed three times before it got started.

If that was not bad enough, the league was put on hold for one month to allow Rivers United catch up with the number of games other teams have played because they were involved in continental engagement as if this is the first time a team is representing Nigeria in the continent.

Maybe, the NPFL Management Committee Board headed by Gbenga Elegbeleye should try and meet with the Premier League Chief Executive and Director, Richard Masters on why the English league always start on schedule.

Maybe somebody should remind Elegbeleye and his cohorts how many teams represented England in Europe and how far some of the clubs went, yet the Premier League was not put on hold.

In releasing the Premier League fixtures, all details were addressed-the kick off date, how many weekends and mid-week round of matches to be played, Bank Holiday Matchweek and even date for the last matches of the season.

God forbid, except for natural occurrence like earthquake, volcanic eruption and the likes in England, the Premier League will start and end as scheduled.

Elegbeleye and his board should please take a cue from the Premier League. It’s not rocket science.