Clubs fault LMC’s plans to end season prematurely

Some teams in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) are set for a showdown with the League Management Company (LMC) over plan to end the season abruptly.

The LMC chairman, Shehu Dikko, had in a Channels TV programme proposed four options, which include ending the season by applying the points per game (PPG) model as well as playing a Super Six at a neutral venue. but some of the managers are against any of these options, claiming the league body would have favoured some teams ahead of others.

“The first three options are unfair as they amount to robbing Peter to pay Paul and endangering the lives of actors involved in the league. The fourth option given the foregoing is simply not possible as the confirmed cases of COVID-19 has been persistently on the rise,” one of the managers said.

Another manager said, “the highest level of unfairness in the game of football is earning a point in a game not played except on grounds of punishment in violation of the rules and regulations guiding such competition.

“As such The PPG application and league table adjustment is absolutely unfair and not a solution The LMC should contemplate if it is for reasons of sporting fairness.

“The EPL, which The NPFL is fashioned after have not been known for accumulating outstanding matches for clubs in continental championships for any reason. Such accumulation of outstanding games in itself is a means of taking advantage over other clubs,” he added.

The coach of Rivers United, Stanley Eguma, however, said the managers of his team would meet today to take a stand on the four-point proposal by the LMC chairman.

“We will be meeting on Monday (today) to look at all the options and come up with our stand. But there must be fairness in whatever decision the LMC decides to take,” he said.