By KATE OBODO
Former Rangers assistant coach Sylvanus Okpala  has said that for the Nigeria Premier League, NPL to measure up with the  standard of European leagues or get better, the  management of the league should always conform to the rules and regulation of the game .

Okpala, a member of the 1980 Nations Cup winning squad frowned at the way  officials, particularly coaches, in the league are mal-treated by employers by owing them salaries. According to him, these clubs go unpunished by the NPL.

According to him, the rules of FIFA on this still stands. That is,  “for any club to be in any competition, the owner’s of the club should ensure it is debt free before participating in the competition. But the reverse is the case in the Nigerian League”.

Using himself as a case study, he said until now Rangers are still owing him and yet they were allowed to participate  in league, adding that  until the management continues to see it as nothing, the league will continue to remain in its poor state.

“There is nothing to talk about on  our league because the management has failed to conform to the rules and regulation of the game. And until they follow the way  the game is governed in other countries, talking about the FIFA rules, it will take years for  the league to get better,” he said.

Crown FC beef up team for second round battle

Crown Football Club  of Ogbomosho are on course to make themselves the  team to beat in the second round of the season.

Media officer of the club, Kunle Oyeleye who disclosed this  to  Inside out Premier League said that already the management has let off 11 players from the team and signed on 11 others who will help  boost the team and also make them escape relegation.

“We are doing every thing possible to make sure we are among the best in the league. By so doing we have dispensed with 11 players from the team and signed on 11 others. The management is also making sure that the team doesn’t lack finance. On the aspect of players sign-on-fees, it will be resolved immediately  the club chairman returns from Abuja.

“With all these promises the players are happy and they are waiting to explode in the second half,” he said.