Gombe United Football Club (FC) has expressed optimism that it will defeat Plateau United to secure maximum points when both sides meet at the Pantami Stadium, Gombe.
Aliyu Zubairu, the technical chief of Gombe United Football Club said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Gombe.
Gombe United FC will play Plateau United on Wednesday in the Match Day 14 fixture of the 2021/2022 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
According to him, the three points of the game are important to his team’s quest to sustain its recent good form in the league.
He said that though Plateau was a good side and he had respect for the team, but victory against them would be his team’s major task in the mid-week game.
Zubairu said that if Plateau thought they could come to Gombe to secure points and go top of the league table, “I want to tell them that our three points are non-negotiable’’.
“We too want to climb the table, so there is no hiding place for Plateau United. Our three points against them is not negotiable.
“Plateau will not escape in Gombe because we want to climb up on the league table.
“They are good side and we respect them a lot but we are not going to negotiate the three points in the match.
“From our first match here (Pantami stadium), I think coach of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC), Edith Agoye said any team that is coming here to come and take easy points would see a different thing
“And I think that has been the scenario and Plateau United will also experience the heat because we need the three points more than they do.’’
According to him, his team’s away draw with Heartland has served as morale booster for them.
“That away draw motivated our team to beat Remo FC at home and we further got a boost when we went away to Dakkada to win and I believe this motivation will continue against Plateau,’’ he said.
On his team’s good form in recent time, Zubairu said that the league was a marathon issue, “our recent position on the log is not anything to celebrate and it is not yet time to relax’’.
“So we will keep pushing until we finish strong,’’ he said.
The technical boss said teams’ performance at the commencement of the NPFL does not determine how games go.
According to him, if a team keeps focus and knows what it is doing, it will get to a time when the team will get things right.
On the rumour of him abandoning Gombe United for Akwa United, Zubairu said “whatever people said I am still with Gombe United.
“Here am I, you just saw me finished training with Gombe United, so for now, I remain Gombe United’s coach,’’ he said.