The Chairman of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, has said the kick-off date for the 2022/2023 season will be made known today.
This is coming after the initial kick-off date of December 18 was rejected by the IMC as emanating from those who wanted to stampede the committee into kick-starting the new season.
The IMC has scheduled a meeting with the Chairmen of the 20 NPFL clubs in Abuja where far-reaching decisions are expected to be taken.
Speaking Tuesday in Abuja, Elegbeleye said at the end of the meeting with the club owners, a definite kick-off date for the new season will be announced immediately.
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“The 2022/2023 season of the Nigeria Professional Football League will start very soon. We have a meeting with the clubs tomorrow (today) and a date for the kick-off will be announced after the meeting.
“We are also going to create an enabling environment for the clubs to get enough financial support. We also want to ensure that referees are paid their indemnities as and when due.
“Once the payment of referees’ indemnities is taken away from the clubs, there will be fair officiating. Referees are not to be owed,” he assured.
Elegbeleye also said there was the need to develop the local league for Nigeria to stop looking up to Europe for players to represent the country.
He said most members of the 1980 Green Eagles squad that won Nigeria’s First AFCON title were from the domestic league.
Meanwhile, Daily Trust can report that today’s meeting between the IMC and the clubs is going to be contentious as it is said most of the club Chairmen are not favourably disposed to re-starting the NPFL this year as being proposed by the league organisers.
A Chairman of one of the clubs in the north-central who spoke to our reporter in confidence said “The time is too short for us to get money from our governments to fund the matches.
“Where are we going to raise money now that everyone’s mind is on the general elections next year,” he asked.
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