Barring any last-minute change of plans, the 2022/23 abridge league proposed by the Interim management committee (IMC ). would kick off as scheduled as the so-called Club Owners Association of Nigeria has finally consented to participate.
One of the club managers who did not want his name on print noted that they were never against the process of reorganizing and standardizing the league, but maintained that there were only concerned about the calendar of the league with regard to the continental schedules.
“CAF deadline for club registration in the continent is the 31st of June, and you’re proposing to end the league in May”
“what will the players be doing during this period when the league ends” another club chairman queried
” The club’s wages are heavy on us, and you want to extend it?
you’ll be surprised to know that we have been paying players and backroom staffs salaries since August last year ”
According to a club chairman from one of the north central clubs, he said “we’re not out to truncate the league or sabotage the programs of IMC, what we are agitating is for us to dialogue and adopt the best option for the league ”
“We expect the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF ) to intervene in this matter by calling us all, the premier league clubs and the IMC to a round table discussion on the abridged league format ”
” The interim management committee (IMC ) Chairman, Hon.Gbenga Elegbeleye has been blackmailing us, using the media, and making us look as if we lack integrity, thereby, giving the impression to Nigerians that we club managers are corrupt ”
You may recall that there has been wrangling since the IMC announced that the 2022/23 NPFL league season will be played in an abridged format, with some of the chairmen disassociating themselves from the arrangement.
According to one of the club chairmen from the southeastern team, ” Elegbeleye the Interim committee chairman said he was going to explain to our Governors at the Governors forum that, we club chairmen should not be held liable should our clubs get relegated at the end of the Football season ” very funny and laughable a club chairman intoned.
Meanwhile, a meeting has been slated for Thursday 4th Jan. between the NFF, IMC, and the 20 club’s chairmen at sandralia hotel, Abuja. By 2pm.
Our correspondent also gathered that during Thursday's meeting, the Interim Management Committee would be presenting a take-off grant of N10 million cheque to all the twenty premier league clubs.