Paul Bassey has charged Akwa United players to ensure they start the Nigeria Professional Football League season on a good note ahead of their opening day fixture against El Kanemi Warriors at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on January 13, 2019.
The Promise Keepers who finished the last league season in second position just two points behind Lobi Stars would feel hard done with the decision to end the season abruptly due to the Nigeria Football Federation leadership crisis having won their last fixture before the World Cup break away to Yobe Desert Stars and the eventual champions, the Pride of Benue were still billed to visit Uyo had the season continued.
It is in the light of this that Bassey during the unveiling of the 12 new players they signed that he implored the team to start the season against El Kanemi Warriors with a home win and strive to sustain the momentum with which they ended their season the last time out.
The astute administrator praised the effort of the players of the team for the way they performed last season and he charged them to even do better than last season to ensure that they are not second best like it was last season.
Bassey stressed that the new players they have added are among the best in the league and that they have come to help the team compete better than they did last season.
Next Match
“We are gathered to go into another phase of the unfortunate history in Nigerian football,” Bassey told the media.
“Most of you are aware that by November last year the coming season should have started. We were supposed to be on the abridged league but here we are and the latest we have heard is that it is starting on the 13th January.
“I am happy with the draw and no matter what happen we don’t have to travel for people to turn us back. We are starting this league season at home God’s willing against El Kanemi Warriors. It is our belief that we should start well. It is an abridged league and it is going to be a difficult league. If we start well and we maintain the momentum we had last year. In order to do well, we have gone ahead to add what we considered to be some very good players that will help us to realize our dream.
“We are never scared of criticism but criticize us in good faith. Players are not perfect. People are bound to make mistakes. Let us scream and shout but let us know that out of every five or six shots that a striker takes, only one may result into a goal.”
