Nasarawa United manager, Bala Nikyu has said the team’s top-flight clash against multiple Nigerian champions, Enyimba, is all-important to United’s aspirations in the league.
The Solid Miners are to host the People’s Elephant in Wednesday’s Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) matchday 8 clash at the Lafia City Stadium.
Prior to the midweek matchup, the Lafia side lost the North Central derby 0-1 to Plateau United in Jos, while the two-time African champions pipped hard-fighting Katsina United 1-0 in Aba.
Nikyu said that in addition to the clash against the Aba side, every other match on the calendar was now important.
“We are hoping that by the special grace of God and our good effort too we will get the maximum points and return to the top of the league table.
“And it’s not only this match against Enyimba that is important but other matches. As I used to say every team that enters the league enters the league preparing for something not only for the match of tomorrow (Wednesday).
“Nobody can assert himself on any position right now until probably after week 35 where the league is getting to an end then everyone will see clearly the handwriting on the wall, so after tomorrow’s game we will continue the chase from where we stopped.
“No problem we are hopeful that tomorrow’s game will turn out good for us,” said the former Wikki Tourists tactician.
Nikyu said his front men were human and would get better and sharper as the league progresses.
“Normally, players cannot get it right all the time, so wherever there is a mistake, we come back to work on it either practically or verbally.
“We carry out the right corrections and continue from there and we are sure to continue getting the best from them,” said the former Niger Tornadoes gaffer.
Nikyu said he is blessed with knowledgeable and understanding management that contribute positively to the team’s growth and development.
“Incidentally, I happen to have management that knows the game, most of the managements that give unnecessary pressures you find out they are the ones that do not know the game.
“I have management that knows the game and each time we play a match if there is contribution they come positively with it.
“We agree and disagree but at the end of the day superior argument always prevail and it has been working perfectly well with us.
“They know the game unlike others, so we are blessed and it has made the environment quite conducive,” said the former Nigerian cadet women’s team (Flamingoes) coach.
The Lafia landlords are third on the 20-team top-flight log on 14 points one behind league leaders, Rivers United.
