By Gbenga Adeleye
Niger Tornadoes Technical Adviser, Abubakar Bala has quickly set is team ambition as not only picking the four slots available for the Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL but to finish as overall winners of the NNL Super 8.
Bala in an exclusive interview with FreekickNaija.com.ng admitted that his team are not only focused on securing one of the four slots available for the NPFL but prioritized finishing the play offs as the overall winners of the 2020-22 Nigeria National League, NNL.
Bala led the Ikon Allah boys to finish top of the NNL Northern Conference Group A2 with 30 points from sixteen games played.
“Our focus is to be the overall winners but the Super 8 is a different ball game.
“We know what it takes and what to expect from other teams. We are following all the teams and having been taking statistics of their games.
“The regular season was tidious and rough, looking at the long period and way of organization of the NNL. “We’ve adjusted already and almost done with our preparation with tune up matches in Minna and Abuja,” said the former Kwara United gaffer.
On Organization In The NNL
Bala said the Nigeria National League, NNL needs to do more in term of having an organised league with proper calendar, officiating, sponsorship and disciplinary matters.
“You have to operate a proper calendar for the league. “NNL with 16 matches started in February and up till date no ending, it doesn’t speak well for the organisers,” the Minna-born tactician bemoaned.
Niger Tornadoes, DMD, Gombe United, El Kanemi Warriors, Shooting Stars and Ekiti United have already sealed their place in the Super 8 play off.
The last two teams to complete the Super 8 list will come from Southern Conference Group B2 and will be known on Wednesday 1st, 2021 after final games at various match centres in the country with the Super 8 proper billed for the Nnamdi Azikwe Stadium, Enugu starting from September 7, 2021.
