21st March, 2012
Head Coach of Dolphins Football Club of Port Harcourt, Stanley Eguma, has said that the current fixtures of the Nigeria Premier League, NPL, will continue to have negative effect on his team’s campaign if it is not corrected.
Speaking in a post-match interview with P.M.Sports after his side’s 2-0 loss to Lobi Stars of Makurdi at the Emma Akume Atongo Stadium, Kastina-Ala, Benue State on Sunday, Eguma said it is unfair that the NPL has mandated the club to play every 48 hours knowing that they are Nigeria’s representative on the continent.
“The way the NPL arranged our matches in the league is not fair. We play every 48 hours despite the fact that we are also representing the country in the CAF Champions League,” said Eguma.
He added: “It is a fact that the fixtures will continue to have negative effect on us. For instance, we just played a match today and we have another match against Enyimba on Wednesday. Aside from this, we have a continental match against Cotton Sport on Saturday.”
The coach reminded the NPL that the players are human beings and should be allowed to have sufficient rest in order to give their best.
“It is telling so much on the players and I want the NPL to realise the fact that these players are human beings and need to have enough rest. That is the only way that they can give their best in the league and on the continent.”
However, the coach has blamed his team’s 2-0 loss to the ‘Suswan Boys,’ on the bad pitch of the Emma Akume Atongo Stadium in Kastina-Ala.
“We didn’t have a good game in Benue State because the pitch is bad. My players were unable to display the good game they are used to because of the bad state of the pitch. It is so bumpy and not good for Premier League matches.
“I never expected the NPL to approve a stadium with a pitch like this for league matches. This is the worst pitch that I have seen since this season started. It is not good for Premier League matches at all,” Eguma lamented.
—Bimbo Ajayi/who was in Makurdi