Sports
Gombe Carpets Professional Football League
Former Chairman of Gombe State Football Association and now Chairman of the State Athletics Association, Ahmed Gara Gombe, has opened up on some of the rots in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
The NPFL, which has GTI, as its major sponsor, has been under scrutiny in recent days, following a declaration by former Super Eagles captain, Austin Okocha, that he would rather watch the English Premier League than pay attention to the local league.
Okocha’s position was comprehended on Wednesday by former Green Eagles winger, Adegoke Adelabu, who stated that those handling Nigerian football, including the league and national teams, pay too much attention on gratification.
In the latest take on the matter, Gara Gombe, a former Special Adviser on Sports to Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State alleged, yesterday, that some Nigerians have turned Match Commissioning job for NPFL matches into “a rehabilitation engagement, job-for-the-boys and an IDP Camp, where people get some palliatives to overcome destitution.”
He said: “I have seen where someone who wants to give out his daughter in marriage, someone who wants to pay school fees for his children and someone who wants to pay his house rent, are given Match Commissioner appointment to take care of their problems. All these are happening in our League. People who support certain candidates and loyal to leaders of our Football are rewarded with Match Commissioner’s appointment,” he stated.
Speaking further, Gara Gombe, who also served as former chairman of Gombe United FC said: “Match Commissioners are integral and essential component of our football. Commissioning of matches is a job for certain categories of people, essentially people with sound pedigree in football administration or relevant fields. They include retired referees with proven integrity. Unfortunately, I have seen tailors, motor mechanics, plumbers and even supermarket attendants as Match Commissioners. I know of a few who can’t speak English for 30 minutes non-stop or compose a two-paragraph story serving as Match Commissioners. The rot and decay are endless.”
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.