Chairman, Nigeria National League (NNL), Mr George Aluo, has assured that 2023/2024 NNL season kicking off this weekend at the Lafia City Stadium, Nasarawa State, will bring out the best from the participating clubs and organisers, saying the issue of winning at all cost will be a thing of the past.
Nasarawa United will host Zamfara United in the opening day fixture of the season on Saturday, November 11.
Speaking ahead of the opener game, Aluo said his board is determined to organise a quality league that all Nigerians will be satisfied with and the best teams gain promotion to the top premier league.
“Well, the immediate plan of the board under my leadership is to organise a quality league where at the end of the day, everybody will be satisfied with what we’ve done. I want to see a league where the best teams gain promotion to the elite league and the issue of winning at all cost will be a thing of the past.
“Our plan is also to have a league that will be credible and attractive so as to get the attention of corporate organisations because with corporate sponsorship, referees indemnity will be settled by the board even before any match and avoid the old practice of home teams settling referees indemnity.
“This will go a long way in checking corruption and biased officiating which has characterized the league in the past. The present board wants to see a league where a club that plays well wins on the road and avoids unnecessary board room points..
“You remember that during our swearing in, the President of NFF charged us to think outside the box on how to make the most important league after the Premier League attractive and we’re working to deliver on that mandate because it won’t be business as usual,” Aluo said
The veteran journalist turned sports administrator revealed that part of the plan to improve the league was the recent seminar organised for the coaches at Remo Stars Football Club facility at Ikenne, Ogun State.
“Prior to my appointment, I discovered that these coaches need training and retraining to be at their best. Some of them have not attended refresher courses for many years which has negatively affected their job. “You know that football is dynamic and the technique a coach applies this year, might be out of fashion next season and I am happy that all the coaches heaped praises on the league board for their foresight in organising that seminar.”
“Apart from this, I want to run a league that’s transparent where a team can win away matches and avoid a situation where teams win home matches at all cost which has been detrimental to the development of not only the second tier league but all other leagues in the country.
I equally want to run a league where even if a home team loses, their fans will be satisfied with the officiating and not invade the pitch or attack match officials which has been an occuring decimal in our match venues.
The league board will also take the issue of welfare of coaches and players seriously. We shall be having regular interactions with the club owners to ensure that the issue of coaches and players welfare is not toiled with because when they are paid regularly, they will put in their best.”