By: JohnPaul Nnamdi
AmapakaboHead coach of Abia Warriors FC, Imama Amapakabo has stated that his team will get better as they continue to feature in the 2020/21 season of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
The former CHAN Eagles gaffer noted this after his wards were defeated by rivals Enyimba 1-0 in the Abia Derby held at the Enyimba International stadium, Aba.
The game was also Imama’s first competitive match as coach of the Umahia based side after he joined the club months before the resumption of the league.
“Abia Warriors is running from the back foot now because about 80% of the coaches in the league were with their teams and I came into a team with about 85% new players. So you can expect this result. Gradually my team will blend into what we want to see, but then I have been impressed with the showing today,” Imama said.
He also expressed optimism about the performance of his players, while stressing his reservations about the turf at the Enyimba International stadium.
Hear him: “This is the first competitive game for my team and most of my young players have been able to show me the character that they are going to bring into the league. The turf was a challenge for us because most of my players were not anticipating the passes properly and we could not build from the back they way we wanted. It is different ball game when you train on grass and play on astroturf.”
Abia Warriors will face Rivers United in the next fixture of the NPFL and Imama feels it’s going to be an exciting game playing against another team in the continent.
“We had a friendly game against them, we know every game is different but this will be an exciting game for us”.
