NNL Resumption: Stopping The League Is Stopping Careers - Dimeji Lawal

NNL Resumption: Stopping The League Is Stopping Careers - Dimeji Lawal

By Niyi Busari

Former Super Eagles winger, Dimeji Lawal has appealed to management of the Nigeria National League to do everything possible for the league to stage a come back after the New Year break in December, 2019, BSNSports.com.ng can report.

The Nigeria second-tier league went on break in December after match-day 3 but never resume till date. There is no information from the management on when the league will restart.

While the Chairman, League Management Company, LMC, Shehu Dikko was quoted to say that it will be difficult for lower leagues to continue, citing lack of sufficient funding. In contrary, the President, Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Amaju Pinnick said the league could stage a comeback soon.

Dimeji, Shooting Stars Football Club of Ibadan Team Manager says it is abnormal for the management stopping the league since 2019 without communicating to the clubs. He stated that such decision may lead to loss of jobs as some private clubs have decided to release their players when there are no league matches.

Kabongo as he is fondly called by his admirers however, frowned at the way the league went on break since December without a specific resumption date.

"To be honest, i have not heard that in any part of the world when the league is going on and suddenly it just stop and since then nothing happening, what about the players and the government that is investing. You know what it takes to run a club in Nigeria, how can some people just come up and say they are stopping the league .

Even in some countries where covid are very strenous, they are all getting ready to come back .

Football is coming back all over the world, I don't why Nigeria is always different but from the new garnered last week, I think was trying to say something else, he said we are going to start the league, I think that is the best way to go .

"Before stopping the league, you must put some things into considerations, let me tell you some clubs that are owned privately are putting their players on break because they are no more playing and the league is no more coming up, what will those boys be doing?

"These people cannot just come up and start saying things that are not palatable, why would the league not continue, stopping the league is like stopping family and career not because we are doing well but things must be done the right way.

He urged the management of the NNL to do everything in making sure that the season is completed, even if it includes playing two matches a week. He added that one of the reasons clubs registered 35 players is to be able to adapt to playing more than one match in a week which according g to him allow the coaches to rotate players.

"We don't have problem playing 2 matches a week, every team is eligible to register about 35 players, we have done that before, even there was a time we played 3 matches a week, so I don't see any problem with that." He concluded.

Oladimeji Lawal was part of Nigeria's Golden Eaglets to the FIFA U17 World Cup in Canada '87 and also helped Nigeria to emerge runners-up in the FIFA U20 World Cup in Saudi '89.