Akwa United Eyes NPFL Title Next Season

Ottobong Effiong has
said that Akwa United can compete for the 2016/17 Nigerian Professional Football League title regardless of their current status.
The Uyo based side ended in a dismal 14th position last season after garnering a paltry 47 points. And the fullback refused to attribute their poor form in the topflight to their ‘best players’ search for greener pastures.
“Last season was not the best for us. We started well but somehow things just did not work out at the end as we hoped for, and at the same time, a number of our best players had to leave for clubs abroad. That is not to say the rest of us are not good enough but these things happen and it can affect any team,” Effiong told NPFL website.
“In the coming season, I want to assure our fans that Akwa United can compete for the title and with the best club. When we won the Federation Cup last year, we were not the favourites but we still went on to win it and I am confident that we can do great things as a team.
The Uyo based team have a new coach in Abdu Maikaba, who led Wikki Tourists to an unprecedented third place finish in the league and got them a ticket to compete on the continent. And the defender feels the gaffer alongside his new signings can help propel the competition for places, and improve the standard within the team.
“Right now we have a very good coach (in Maikaba) and he has brought in some of the best players in the country to join us. Once again the competition (for starting places) in the team has gone up more than before. Everyone wants to impress the coach and play in the team which is good for us, and the coach is a very good man who is patient,” he concluded.
The commencement of the new season has been proposed by the League Management Company (LMC) and the club owners to start on January 15, 2017. And Ottobong Effiong will be hoping to see his side start off on a good note when they meet newly promoted ABS United.