Sports
Ex-Coaches Task NPL On Sponsorship Deal
Former national coaches, Paul Hamilton and Kashimawo Laloko have urged the Nigeria Premier League Board NPL, not to allow their title sponsorship deals to hinder the growth of football in the country.
The coaches spoke to the newsmen in Lagos on the league’s title sponsorship won by MTN Nigeria which was nullified recently.
They expressed the view that the league’s governing body should be consistent in all its deals to lift the game.
The NPL had on December 16 last year after a bidding process by two of the country’s telecommunications companies, announced MTN, represented by Total Promotions Nigeria Ltd, winner of the title sponsor.
Globacom Nigeria Ltd, the sponsor between 2006 and 2010, alleged that the bid did not follow due process and subsequently took the matter to court but later withdrew the case.
The NPL Congress last week said the involvement of a third party on behalf of a client was unacceptable to it and subsequently nullified the deal.
Hamilton, who coached the senior female and male national teams, advised that sponsorship issues should not be used to stall football development.
“The several crises in the country’s football of recent, leading to litigations and withdrawal of cases from courts is worrisome and not in the best interest of football lovers.
“I am not happy with the recent developments in our football. The NPL should do the right thing for our football to grow,” said Hamilton, a bronze winner with the U-20 team at the 1985 U-20 World Cup in Moscow.
The Director of Pepsi Football Academy, Kashimawo Laloko, called for consistency in all deals for the promotion of football.
He said that the NPL had its reasons for revoking MTN’s title sponsorship deal
but warned that something should be done to check recurrence for the league not to suffer.
The championship will run from today to October 12 at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia. On the ground for the championship are athletes from Brazil, Peru, Egypt, Cameroon, Tunisia, Nigeria, Mauritius and Rwanda. They arrived on Sunday.
Some of the other countries were expected in the Abia State capital yesterday. Speaking on the championship, yesterday, Abia State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Nwobilor Ananaba, said the chief host, Governor Alex Otti, has mobilised facilities and the personnel to ensure a successful event.
Speaking through the Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports, Raymond Chima Ukwa, said: “We have the best mats, playing mats, especially the wheelchair playing mats, which is the first of its kind in West Africa.
“If you go around, you’ll see the hall and the preparation that has been made to ensure that people have an equitable world-class playing field.” Thrilled by Governor Otti’s support for the competition, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) President, Francis Orbih, said that, besides making all the necessary arrangements that will ensure a successful hosting of the events, “we will have a Para-Badminton workshop for coaches and players.
“Nigeria is doing well, Abia is doing well, and we want to do better to improve on where we are, which is why all these have been put together by Governor Otti.”
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles began their campaign at the 24th FIFA U20 World Cup with a narrow 1–0 loss to Norway on Monday, despite creating several opportunities to level the game.
Norway took the lead in the 9th minute after being awarded a controversial penalty. The Flying Eagles pressed for an equaliser but were denied two penalty claims in the second half.
Kparobo Arierhi came close in the 47th minute when his shot drifted wide with the goalkeeper beaten, while Tahir Maigana struck the upright in the 63rd minute.
Nasiru Salihu’s rising effort in the 71st minute also went narrowly over the bar, drawing gasps from the crowd.
Seven minutes from time, Maigana again tested Norway with a long-range strike that went just wide as Nigeria continued to pile on the pressure.
Despite their dominance, the Flying Eagles could not find the breakthrough and now turn their attention to Thursday’s clash against Saudi Arabia in their second group match.
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