Club Owners: NPFL Refeeres Too Many, Wants Cut-Down

Club Owners: NPFL Refeeres Too Many, Wants Cut-Down 

Ibrahim Lateef 

Okey Kpalukwu, chairman Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Club Owners Association has hit the nail on the head; after he called for the urgent need to reduce the number of referees in the league which he considered bogus, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The Rivers United big-wig also stressed on the need for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Referees Appointment and Disciplinary Committee to always make public the names of match officials disciplined by it to send the right message to others. 

His candid opinion is coming on the appeal by the Sports Minister Senator John Owan Enoh, for suggestions that will improve the lots of Nigerian referees and the NPFL.

“There’s the need to have the number of NPFL referees reduced to enable them officiate enough games during the season to stand them in good stead to be picked by Confederation of African Football (CAF) for their games. 

"Right now we’ve too many which leads to some of them officiating just a handful of games, this leads to lobbying by most of them which is not good for our league. 

"In addition, let those found culpable of unprofessional acts be punished without delay”, he opined. 

The NPFL board member also charged the NPFL to find a workable solution for home teams and states football associations to collaborate on the pertinent issue of having watertight security arrangement on match days to put an end to clubs being punished when there are lapses over issues they have no control over. 

He advocated the importance of having experienced match officials who are retired with credibility to be appointed independent assessors who will report to the NPFL exact situations at match venues.