By Ime Bassey
Still basking from their 4-1 pounding of Sharks FC in a rescheduled Week 25 game, Warri Wolves chief coach, Edema Fuludu is keen on picking points from his team’s two away games this weekend and on Wednesday.

The ex-international affirmed that the various injuries and suspension that have hit the team will not stop their fight for points from the two games.

“All we are looking at in the next two games against Kano Pillars and Jigawa Golden Stars is to pull out the best  strength from the players despite their injuries and suspension following the stress of playing in the continent, the league and the Federation Cup. Notwithstanding, we are focused on grinding out points from the games because we are eying a fast return to the continent next season,” Fuludu said.

The former Bendel Insurance of Benin gaffer stated that he and his technical crew led by Maurice Cooreman capitalized on the tiredness of the Port Harcourt side following their two away games.

“Football is never predictable until the final result is out. The goals just came easily for us and we are grateful to God for that. We have experienced it before playing two straight away matches and managing to pick one point  from each of them. For Sharks, it is part of the league and I know they are aware of that. They are a good team but we were able to capitalize on their fatigue,” Fuludu added.

Kwara Utd eye victory over Gombe Utd

Kwara United head coach, Tunde Sanni made it clear that the Ilorin side would fight with all their strength on the pitch to climb up the league table.

Making this known to Inside Out Premier League after watching his side defeated by last season’s runner-up, Sunshine Stars of Akure by a lone goal at the Ilorin Township Stadium, Sanni said Gombe United will not survive his lads’ wrath this weekend.

“We want to close up the gap on the log and we can’t do that without winning games, so we are focused on another victory this weekend against Gombe United. We are aware that they are a decent side with good individual play and team work albeit, but we are confident that we will smile at the end of 90 minutes,” Coach Sanni said.

On the propelling factor for the team’s recent form, the former Shooting Stars defender said they have been motivated with the information that their sign-on fees and salaries would soon be paid.

“The win last Wednesday against Sunshine Stars, shows how fired up we are for an upward move on the NPL log. We really thank God for it but the real impetus is the information we heard about unpaid salaries and sign-on fees being made available to us soon,” he disclosed.

Clubs bribe referees to win matches – Esu
By Philips Adefioye
Former coach of 3SC football club of Ibadan, Godfrey Esu has said that the Nigerian league is still far from being  well organised when compared to leagues in north African countries, South Africa as well as part of West African countries.

Esu, in an exclusive interview with Saturday Vanguard sports, said the must-win-at-home syndrome has taken off the beauty of the league, adding that the Nigeria Premier and National Leagues hardly took action on clubs found guilty of unruly behaviour.

“When you compare Nigerian leagues to what is happening in North Africa and South African leagues,  our league is still not there yet in terms of organisation. Even Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire are better organisers than Nigeria and the reason is that we are not telling ourselves the truth, that is why things are not moving forward.

“Look at the league, so many fighting here and there, teams want to win at home by all means and so  employ all tactics.  And instead of the NPL and NFF to sanction clubs found guilty, they just give them minimal suspension which makes other teams want to do the same.

The referees too are not helping matters. They and the match commissioners know the proper report to give to sanction erring clubs but they don’t do it. Except we get the right people to run our football, we will not make progress ”, he said.

He also accused clubs officials of  influencing the referees financially to win their matches because they are not doing their work well.

“Club officials are not helping matters too, they don’t prepare well and they want to win by using referees, that is the problem. If you prepare well and do what you are supposed to do as a team or management, you get good  players who are paid as at when due and the  coaches are paid, it will go well.

“Referees are influenced financially but nobody has been able to come out with a prove and the referees are getting away with such attitude. There should be a way to check the referees and once that is taken care of, fifty percent of the country’s league problems would have been solved,” Esu stressed.