THURSDAY COLUMN – EAGLE EYE League Season On Again Last weekend’s resumption of action in the Glo Premier League proved to be a satisfactory development for lovers of domestic football, as the League Management Company (LMC) kept to their word of kick-starting the new season and avoid another postponement, which observers see as a pointer to seriousness on the part of the organisers. Heading into the start of action in the new season, the LMC had also brought their foot down on Nembe City and Giwa FC for failing to meet up with new terms for registration into the top-flight, such that a strict adherence to rules now appears in place for the Nigerian league. In as much as I appreciate the struggle many clubs go through in their efforts to stay afloat, especially where they depend on state governments for sponsorship, at par with obstacles of due process, protocol and bureaucracy in the disbursement of funds, all participants in the championship just have to fall in line with rules guiding the contest. Though the expected shine that would have been witnessed at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, where Rangers International of Enugu were meant to play under floodlights against visiting Nembe did not materialize eventually, I consider it a minor setback to help stabilize the competition in the long run and enable all clubs appreciate the need to meet up with what is required of them. The fact that other matches took place is a breath of fresh air for the revolutionary efforts of the LMC, which is obviously determined to put things in proper perspective for the league, despite some cynical comments by recalcitrant clubs, especially those who are celebrating the exit of Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi as sports minister, since he was believed to be the prime advocate of ongoing reforms in the domestic championship. It is now left to be seen if the LMC will bulk under pressure or whether the new minister, Dr Tamuno Danagogo will go the way of those alleging that Honorable Nduka Irabor and his company members in the league body are being high handed and call for their sack, which would only take Nigerian soccer several steps backward and allow mediocrity surface once again where standardization has been erected. A situation in which a benchmark has been given as minimum wage for players, where each team is expected to commit itself with a lump sum in the championship’s coffers, Friday matches to start weekend fixture As well as a general air of progressive strides already manifest through implementation of novel rules and regulations shows that Nigeria is gradually getting close to the level of nations with virile and credible domestic leagues that are worth following by fans, corporate bodies and the media. It is also important to note that our remaining clubs on the continental terrain will no longer flaunt excuses that lack of competitive action on the home front caused their lethargic performances in the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup, but the LMC has a duty to play in ensuring that the season will roll along without any hitches, no controversial postponements of matches, no fishy decisions from the boardroom and no form of partiality in the interpretation of the game’s laws. How I wish the new sports minister will not play along with lackeys suggesting that the LMC’s rule is draconian, because anything short of continuity in running the league would only be tantamount to taking three steps backward after two forward by the organisers, and we would once again start talking about retrogression hitting the domestic scene, where accelerated progress, development and transformation had already started emerging. I will, therefore, sue for like minds to join me in stating and restating our abhorrence for retrogression, let’s stress together the need to bring down anyone calling to question the long lines of progress achieved so far by Irabor’s LMC, then rest back on the strength of all information about Dr Danagogo, which suggests that he will not be a party to evil and perpetrators of implosion. This has given credence to a high level of optimism for me that the Glo Premier League season kick-off occasioned last weekend will surge to greater things and translate into better tidings for the game as the weeks roll by. Once the LMC plays according to its own rules, keeps up the pace of its regulatory role and carries the clubs along as peacefully as possible, we should be talking about the best, exciting and most successful Glo Premier League season ever in Nigeria. Now that the Glo Premier League season is on again, I pray that it runs seamlessly, flawlessly, hitch free, untruncated, peacefully and excitingly. Let’s all chorus: Welcome back to regular competitive club action on the home front.
Posted on: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 15:03:45 +0000
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