As the 2018/2019 Nigeria Professional Football League season enters week 8 this weekend, the four newly promoted clubs, Gombe United, Remo Stars, Bendel Insurance and Kada City are literally gasping for air as they struggle to cope with life in the topflight.
It will be recalled that at the end of the Nigeria National League, NNL, Super 8 played in Aba, the four clubs qualified to join the elite division of the Nigerian Professional Football League.
Considering the fact that the Super 8 ended on January 8 and the 2019 NPFL season was to commence on January 13, the league organisers gave the newly promoted clubs a grace of three weeks to prepare for life in new division.
Consequently, the quartet had their matches postponed until the fourth week when they finally joined the fray.
Even before the four clubs began their campaigns, they needed no seer to tell them that they would be walking on slippery ground and the reason is not far-fetched.
In view of the fact that the 2017/2018 season ended abruptly due to the crisis that enveloped Nigerian football, the LMC decided that none of the 20 clubs should be relegated.
That decision indeed saved clubs like Go Round, Heartland FC, Kwara United, Nasarawa United and El-Kanemi Warriors from imminent relegation.
In order to meet up with the rest of the leagues, the LMC also decided to adopt an abridged version of the league. Thus, to accommodate the four clubs that were to be promoted, the league was divided into group A and B with 12 teams in each group.
Bendel Insurance and Remo Stars are in group A where they are battling against experienced campaigners like Lobi Stars, Rivers United, Kwara United, Wikki Tourists, Rangers, Enyimba FC, Niger Tornadoes, MFM, Sunshine Stars and Katsina United.
Gombe United and Kada Stars from the north are in group B with Kano Pillars, Yobe Stars, Plateau United, Go Round, Nasarawa United, Akwa United, El-Kanemi Warriors, Abia Warriors, Heartland and FC IfeanyiUbah.
Going by the agreement reached with the LMC, at the end of the ongoing season, eight clubs, four from each of the groups will be relegated while four would be promoted from the NNL to join the remaining 16 NPFL clubs in order to revert to the original 20 teams format.
The moment this arrangement came to public attention, most football analysts concluded that the four newly promoted clubs would be among the first to be relegated.
Although clubs like Gombe United, Remo Stars and Bendel Insurance had tasted life in the topflight before going down to the lower division, many football analysts said they would still struggle to stay afloat.
As envisaged by their critics, the four clubs are indeed finding life in the NPFL too hot for comfort. A look at their individual report cards has shown clearly that it would require special miracles for any of them to avoid the drop.
Gombe United that some analysts tipped to rub shoulders conveniently with the big boys have not done particularly well.
When it was evident that they would return to the NPFL, Gombe United went for the services of Ladan Bosso, one of the most travelled and experienced coaches in the NPFL.
The former Niger Tornadoes, Wikki Tourists, Bayelsa United, Kano Pillars, Wikki Tourists, Abia Warriors, El-Kanemi Warriors, and FC IfeanyiUbah handler presided over Gombe United’s NNL Super 8 campaign and ensured the ‘desert scorpions’ picked one of the promotion tickets.
Unfortunately, Bosso is presently struggling to inspire his wards as he has managed only one win out of six matches played so far by his team. Their only victory came against his former club Kano Pillars in week 4.
Gombe United have drawn two and lost three matches to sit precariously in last position on group B table with a miserable five points.
Interestingly, Kada Stars who were rated below Gombe United have proved to be the better of the two northern clubs. They presently occupy seventh position on the table with seven points garnered from six matches.
The privately owned club from Kaduna State have won 2 matches, drawn 1 and lost three. Their two victories came against Gombe United (2-1) at home and Wednesday’s shocking 2-1 victory over El-Kanemi Warriors in Kaduna.
One of their loses came at home against their more illustrious opponents FC IfeanyiUbah in week 5 just as their only draw was secured away from home at Go Round in Umouku.
Remo Stars and Bendel Insurance are also struggling for survival in group A where they are contending with more renowned opponents.
However, Bendel Insurance have fared better than Remo Stars. This is not surprising because being a state owned club, Insurance have access to better funding.
Out of five matches played so far, Insurance have won one match, drawn three and lost only one to sit in seventh place on the group A table with six points.
Their only victory came against the defending champions, Lobi Stars which they defeated 1-0 at the University of Benin stadium in week 6.
They recorded draws at Niger Tornadoes in week 5, Remo Stars in week 3 and at home against Kwara United in week 4.
However, Remo Stars are already in the drop zone having won one match, drawn two and lost three matches to lie in 10th position with only five points.
The Shagamu based side will drop further by the time Lobi Stars play their outstanding matches. Due to their continental engagements, Lobi Stars have played only three matches. Thus, they have four outstanding matches.
Remo are however better-off when compared with Niger Tornadoes who are yet to pick a win in the season.
In the final analysis, the four newly promoted clubs have managed five victories, eight draws and incurred nine losses in 22 matches they have played so far.
Although they may be seen as sure candidates for relegation, the league is a marathon so anything can happen before the end of the season.