Sports
2021 Coal City League: 15 Teams To Compete For Honours
The Coordinator of Coal City Football League, Emeka Okparaji, says 15 teams will be featuring in the 2021 edition of the league when it begins on Sunday in Enugu.
Okparaji, who said this at the pre-tournament media briefing in Enugu on Wednesday, disclosed that 15 teams from different parts of Enugu state were ready for the league.
The league is being organised by GOFEC Movies Industry Limited.
This is in conjunction with Zenith Bank of Nigeria, Enugu State Football Association (ESFA) and the state Ministry of Youths and Sports.
“It is a neighbourhood tournament whose first edition was held in 2020, with Emene United winning,” Okparaji said.
He disclosed that Coal Camp Team and Obiagu Team would play in the first match of the 2021 league on Sunday.
Speaking also at the media briefing, the Chief Executive Officer of GOFEC Movies, Donben Chisom, commended the teams which have registered for the league.
He also lauded the league’s coordinator for the success of the first edition in 2020 and called for better outing and organisation in the 2021 league.
Coach of Emene United, Tim Okoro, on his part said his team were ready for the second edition of the league.
“We won the first edition in 2020 because the Emene axis of the state is like a poultry farm for young players.
“This year, we will do all in our power to retain the trophy, because we are still hungry for more success in the league,” he said.
Callistus Ibe, the Agani Road Team’s coach, however disagreed with Okoro saying that a lot had changed since after the first edition.
He identified the Coal Camp Team rather as the “stumbling block” the Agani Road Team would need to “roll away” to become the new champions.
The 2021 league will begin on Sunday and is expected to end on December 19.
The Rangers International FC training pitch and UNEC field will serve as venues for matches in the competition’s group stage, quarter-finals and semi-finals.
Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu will host the competition’s opening ceremony, as well as the final match and closing ceremony.
A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.
Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.
“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”
He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.
“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”
“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.
“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.
Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.
The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.
“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.
“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.
Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.
She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.
“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.
The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.
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