Nigeria National League ( NNL) Chairman, George Aluo, yesterday, expressed happiness with the progress made by the league in the past one year, just as he urged teams listed for the 2024/2025 season to work hard to maintain the high standard.
[ad]
In his opening speech at this year’s pre-season seminar organised for NNL coaches and media officers, Aluo said the board’s decision to be firm and unbiased in its decisions contributed greatly to a youthful team like Beyond Limits winning the league, while El Kanemi of Maiduguri, apart from winning the President Federation Cup, is one of the only two teams that are currently unbeaten in the ongoing NPFL.

Aluo explained that the seminar became necessary considering the successes recorded in the maiden edition, hoping that what the participants will learn will rob off on the league”.

“You know that in football there are four groups very dear to FIFA, CAF and NFF and those groups are the players and coaches, referees, media and the fans. We bring the coaches here every year to get them better equipped because when the coaches are technically sound, the fans will watch good football.
[ad]
“The referees, on their part, are the ones with the yam and knife and it’s what they give you in the field of play that you’re going to take. But the referees have laws and we need to be acquainted with those laws which is very dynamic and that was why we brought one of the best brains in refereeing in the country to be part of this seminar.

“There is also no denying the fact that football is a media event and it is the media that hypes the game and make it attractive to the fans and for me as a media person I know that the league will not be attractive without the media and that was why we have brought the coaches and media officers under one roof to share ideas with knowledgeable resource persons on how to make the league better.”
He explained that as chairman of the league, his dream is to see an NNL that is solid, competitive and entertaining and not just being described as the most important league on paper but in the real sense of it.

“Before this board came on board, people were describing the NNL as a glorified amateur league, a cash-and-carry league but to the Glory of God, we can attest to it that we have changed that narrative.
[ad]
“In one year, there are statistics to show that we have really done well When we had the Super 8 in Enugu, the President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau despite his tight schedule, was there to watch the finals between Nasarawa United and Beyond Limits. That showed the importance he attaches to the league and for the first time, the league was won by a youthful team made up of U-17 players, which also shows how solid our league is supposed to be because football belongs to the youths,” he stressed.

He commended the proprietor of Remo Stars Football Club, Kunle Soname, for sponsoring the seminar, describing him as a true partner in progress and a man passionate about football.

Also speaking at the event, Soname expressed happiness with the seminar, saying that for Nigerian football to grow, coaches must be trained regularly.
Soname, who said his passion for football drove him to invest in the game, stated that football is a profitable business if properly managed, and, therefore, charged club owners to think less about winning at all cost, but concentrate more on the welfare of their players.
[ad]