ABUJA – The League Management Company (LMC) has congratulated Enyimba International for defeating Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia and qualifying for the group stage of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League.
LMC is also congratulating the recently named caretaker Coaches of the Super Eagles who were named to handle two upcoming international friendly matches of the senior national team. The Coaches are Salisu Yusuf, formerly of Wikki Tourists, Imama Amakapabor of Rangers International and Kennedy Boboye of Abia Warriors who have been listed among the Super Eagles Managers for the upcoming international friendly matches against Mali and Luxembourg.
The Tunisians had cancelled out Enyimba’s 3-0 lead from Nigeria in regulation time and led 2-0 at the start of the penalty shoot-out. Enyimba would recover to tie the shoot-out at 3-3 after five kicks and then went ahead to seal victory after Theophilus Afelokhai saved a third penalty to gift his side 4-3 on penalties and 7-6 on aggregate.
LMC Chairman, Shehu Dikko described Enyimba players as brave, courageous and good ambassadors of the indomitable spirit of the NPFL.
“It is not in the qualification alone that we found joy but the delightful courage exhibited by the boys when others would have lost the fighting spirit. That is the doggedness that drives Nigerians and which our football has over the years demonstrated at both national teams and club levels. The LMC salutes their bravery”, Dikko said in a congratulatory message to the club.
In another development, Dikko has urged Yusuf, Amapakabor and Boboye to see their appointment as a challenge to earning higher appointments in the future.
“The LMC is happy that we have Coaches in the NPFL who have demonstrated a capacity to be national coaches and you must therefore consider this appointment as a challenge to earning higher recognition”, Dikko stated and added, “this is consistent with our vision to evolve an NPFL that will produce not just quality players but Coaches that can also be exported to other leagues”.
Dikko described their appointment as consistent with the LMC campaign which promotes support for indigenous skills as seen in the urging of Nigerians to support the NPFL instead of the foreign leagues.
He said the LMC will continue to provide opportunities for Club Administrators, Coaches and Players to improve their trade. “In addition to the opportunities provided through coaching and administrative courses, we have gone further to now establish a relationship with the La Liga which will be consummated next week to collaborate on exchange of knowledge, training of coaches and attachment of club administrators to La Liga clubs”.
