October 14, 2014 – Technical Adviser of Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia, Issa Ladan Bosso has advocated for the live telecast of all matches in the on-going Nigerian Professional Football League in order to make the league more competitive and attractive.
According to him if the games were transmitted live on television, more sponsors will be attracted to invest while more people will develop more interest about the Nigerian League, thereby removing the ugly impression some Nigerians have about the league.
The Abia Warriors Technical Adviser, who was speaking at the Uyo Township Stadium shortly after his lads drew goalless with the home side, Akwa United, said Nigerian referees were good but sometimes feared for their dear lives in taking some decisions because of unfavourable conditions.
He said live telecast of matches, will therefore give the officiating officials more confidence to handle the matches without fear of molestation as is the case in developed leagues across the world.
Bosso said Abia Warriors have never been afraid of having their home matches shown live on television but questioned why the club’s away games don’t receive similar attraction.
“Six of Abia Warriors’ home matches have been shown live on television this season, the highest in the campaign but this (Akwa Utd) match is only our second live match away. In our first away match that was telecast live, we beat Enyimba 1-0 in Aba and today, we have picked a draw here in Uyo, that means that live telecast of matches will make the league more competitive while more players will be discovered for the national teams “he said”.
The former Kano Pillars, Bendel Insurance, Niger Tonadoes and Bayelsa United sweat merchant described the Akwa United match as one of the hardest away games for the club this season and commended his players for their resilience despite the antics of the home side.
He said even though the club did not give him any target when he joined them, his personal target of taking every club he has handled to the continent is still very much intact in Abia Warriors.
“if I could pick a continental ticket at Bayelsa United why not in Abia Warriors where I have experienced coaches and management. When you are working with an experienced management half of the job has been done for you. I so much believe in my club’s management” he told newsmen.
Bosso said he retained about 80 per cent of the boys who took the team to the premier league in order to maintain continuity and homogeneity adding that in due time, the players will explode to their full potentials.
