ABS won't stay in NNL for long, Chukwuemeka assures

By Akeem Lawal

Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS FC) of Ilorin Director of Football, Alloy Chukwuemeka has assured that the team will make a swift return to the Nigeria Professional Football League at the end of this season’s National League.

Sportsbiz247.blogspot.com reports that the Saraki Boys have been drawn in Group A2 of the 2017/18 Bet9ja Nigeria National League Season alongside FC Taraba, Kaduna United, NAF FC, Mighty Jets FC, Kogi United FC and Aklosendi Int'l FC.

In a chat with Sportsbiz247.blogspot.com during the NNL Annual Congress and Draws held in Lagos on Tuesday, Chukwuemeka said the club have gotten capable replacements for the players that left the club after their relegation.

“Ordinarily we don’t belong to NNL and everybody is aware that ABS belongs to the Premier League. Let me tell you that we are already there.

“You should understand that football is all about movement and no player will receive big offers from clubs like Enyimba and won’t want to go. Some of the players are in Akwa United, Enyimba and other NPFL clubs. No one will see a big offer and won’t like to go and there is no point holding the player back since we believe strongly that using our structure in ABS there are avenues to lunch our new players. Let me inform you that our youth team has given us about eight players now that have been promoted to the main team.

“So I can assure you that we would be back Insha Allah,” he said.

At the end of the season, the top two teams each from the four Groups (ie Group A1, 2 = North and Group B1, 2 = South) will make it to the Super 8 playoffs where the NNL champions will emerge and the top four will get promoted.

Chukwuemeka, who is also the Executive Secretary of the Football Club Owners Association of Nigeria (Club Owners) also gave reasons for adopting the Abridged League version for this season which.  kicks off in the first week of March.

“The clubs agreed on Abridged League and the reason is because it is a World Cup year and we must also try as much as possible to align with international calendar. That was the major reason and when it was put into vote, it was in favor of Abridged League.

“Aside that, there would be a Super Eight at the end of the season and that Super Eight, the top two clubs from each of four groups will now converge at a center to play a round robin in Northern  and Southern four. That will go a long way at producing the real champions, unlike the previous ones, the promotion will be determined from the Super Eight. At the end of the season, no club is promoted until after the Super Eight.

“There will not be any controversy because it is a Congress decision and it has been agreed that for us to bring content into the league and also attract investors, we must be seen to be doing things that will actually promote the league.

“So when you bring the eight teams that are the first two in each of the different centers in a neutral ground and allow the best of officiating, the best of coverage, I think we would produce the real team that will be promoted to the premier league and Nigerians will be happy,” Chukwuemeka told Sportsbiz247.blogspot.com.