Enyimba Coach Abd’Allah Laments NPFL No Show (AUDIO)

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Enyimba coach Usman Abd’Allah says the delayed commencement of the 2019/2020 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) is already taking a toll on his club in their continental engagement.

The 8-time NPFL winners are shopping for quality matches in readiness for Sudanese side Al Hilal, who they face in the second leg of their first round CAF Champions League tie in Omdurman this weekend, having played out a goalless draw in the reverse fixture in Aba a week ago.

Asked if the postponement of the league earlier scheduled to start on Sunday, 22 September is affecting his side’s fitness, the soft-spoken Enyimba tactician said: “Yes, of course. Because look at us looking for matches, if supposing the league has started, we would have used the league to keep in shape and have competitive matches.

“But as always in Nigeria for the past years, it’s been like that. Continental starts before the league, until maybe the calendar is changed, which I think is what they (LMC) tried to do last year. And still, they are lagging behind. I hope the league starts early.

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“Even if we couldn’t get that opportunity this year, probably, when we catch up this year we can get that opportunity next year,” the former Bayer Leverkusen player told www.busybuddiesng.com in an exclusive chat.

As part of preparations for their CAF Champions League game against Al Hilal, Enyimba on Friday drew 2-2 with Heartland in a test game in Okigwe and lost 1-0 to Rivers United in Port Harcourt on Sunday.

The People’s Elephant are billed to face sister-club Abia Warriors in another friendly match on Monday in Umuahia before departing Nigeria for Sudan later in the week.

It remains unclear when the 2019/2020 NPFL season will commence, with the LMC chairman Shehu Dikko recently disclosing that the league body is in dire need of sponsorship funds, which are not forthcoming.