3SC General Manager Resists Proposed League Cancelation

3SC General Manager Resists Proposed League Cancelation

By Editor

The General Manager of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan, Rasheed Balogun, has joined the growing list of football stakeholders, kicking against the proposed pre-mature end to the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) and outright cancelation of the lower leagues.

The astute football administrator, said he hopes the proposal before the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), with the idea of no relegation, no promotion and a fresh start for the NNL and other leagues would be thrown into the thrash bin.

The Chairman of the League Management Company (LMC), Shehu Dikko, had said the NPFL winner and continental tourney flag bearers could be decided by a Super Six play off with Benin as likely venue.

Dikko, who is also the second vice president of the NFF, indicated that there would be no relegation of teams from the NPFL and that fresh starts to the NNL and other lower leagues are likely.

However, Balogun, in his reaction to the proposal, described it as unfair to teams playing in the lower leagues and a plot by relegation threatened teams to keep their elite league status.

Speaking on brila.net, Ekulekule, as the experienced football manager is fondly called, argued, that the following steps should not be the best option to settle the season, which has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said non relegation of teams from the NPFL and stopping teams from being promoted from the NNL, would be a disservice to the NNL clubs who have spent so much in preparing for the season and have continued to pay players’ salaries, keeping their teams together in the process.

“As far as I am concerned, I believe no decision has been taken yet. We have stopped playing since December and since then, both private and government sponsored clubs have been doing everything humanly possible to pay players’ salaries”, he stated.

Continuing, Balogun added. “If they now say the league is canceled who will be responsible for the players’ renumerations till the beginning of the new season?

“Do you know how much we have spent since last season, preparing for this season?, asked the 3SC boss who added that those behind the plot are clubs already rocked to the relegation zone of the NPFL.

Balogun’ s remarks falls in line with that of the duo of Plateau United coach, Abdul Makaiba and his Lobi Stars counterpart, Gbenga Ogunbote, who both see no sence in organising a Super six play off to decide the winner of the league and slots for next season’s CAF competitions.

However, there are strong indications that the proposal, as stated by Dikko, may not see the light of the day going by the words of the NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, that once the Federal Government gives green light for sporting activities to resume, all the leagues would go on.