Yusuf Mohammed, a Deputy Director in the Borno Sports Council, says El-Kanemi Warriors Football Club of Maiduguri are sure to win the 2017/2018 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) title.
Mohammed told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday he was comfident the team would finish at the top of the season’s league table in September.
“By the special grace of God, El-Kanemi Warriors will be among the top four clubs in the country’s league.
“In fact, I am confident that we are going to win the Nigeria Professional Football League title,’’he said.
Mohammed assured that the team would soon return to its glory days, following the recent recruitment of coach Imama Amapakabo as the club’s Technical Adviser.
NAN reports that Amapakabo, the former coach of Rangers International FC of Enugu, signed a two-year contract worth N750,000 per month and a sign-on fee of N15 million.
The coach had led Rangers to the NPFL title in 2015/2016 before leaving the Enugu-based club under controversial circumstances last season.
He was signed on by the Maiduguri side after the sacking of Ladan Bosso who led El-Kanemi to a sixth-place finish in the just-concluded NPFL season, and will be hoping to replicate his success with Rangers at his new club.
“I can assure you that we will not only do well in the league, but also go ahead to play in the continent.
“We still recall some of the laurels we won against the likes of Al Ahly of Egypt and also the Challenge Cup we won against Stationery Stores FC of Lagos in Makurdi.
“This was when Retd. Col Abdulmumuni Aminu was the Governor of the state.
“Late Amodu Shuaibu was the Coach of the team then and I am confident that with the coming in of our new coach Imama Amapakabo, those glory days will be back in the shortest possible time.
“The quality of Amapakabo cannot be overemphasised as everyone in the league is aware of his capabilities and with the calibre of the technical crew at his disposal, I believe he will deliver.
“Our governor, Kashim Shettima, has also promised to support the team 100 per cent and I am confident that what happened in Plateau last season will happen in Borno, come the end of the 2017/2018 NPFL season,” he said.
NAN reports that El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri will begin their NPFL 2017/2018 season with a trip to Port Harcourt to tackle Rivers United FC on Jan. 14.
The defending champions, Plateau United, start their title defence away to Nasarawa United.
The 2017/2018 NPFL season has been slated to kick off on Jan. 14 and to end on Sept. 30. (NAN)
Victor Okoye
