Mbaoma hopes NPFL season won’t be cancelled

Enyimba striker, Victor Mbaoma has said his sincere wish is to see the 2019/20 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) champions emerge on the field of play not through boardroom decision.

The ongoing NPFL season has just witnessed 25 rounds of matches before being suspended by the League Management Company (LMC) due to the coronavirus pandemic and with no possible resumption date in view at the moment.

In 2017/18 season the league body, LMC, applied a force majeure to declare that season inconclusive with Lobi Stars finishing top after 24 rounds of matches. The Makurdi club were however not declared champions though they represented Nigeria in the following season’s CAF Champions League.

Mbaoma said the two-time African and reigning Nigerian champions are well placed to defend their league crown having played less number of matches due to their continental campaign which ended with their failure to progress further in the CAF Confederation Cup.

“It will be wrong for the LMC to decide to end the season abruptly due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and subsequently declare the top spot team, Plateau United champions.

“The league body should do everything in their capacity to ensure that the champions emerge on the field of play.

“However, if it is found to be impossible to conclude the league due to the coronavirus crisis then the only viable condition to declare any team champion is to allow teams with outstanding matches to play theirs thereafter they can go ahead to end the season.

“Of course, we have a bright chance to be champions and successfully defend the league crown once again.

“We have played less number of matches compared with our challengers due to our continental involvement.

“The outstanding matches are crucial as their outcomes will place us on a favourable position to challenge for the league crown.

“Already, our target right now after the elimination at the continent is to successfully defend the league crown.

“And we have started very well on the path by avoiding defeat in some of the matches we played after the continental ouster.

“We are determined and hopeful to continue on the winning path in the remaining matches on the calendar.

“So it’s possible and within our power to successfully defend the league title and earn an unprecedented ninth league crown,” said the former Akwa United goal poacher.

Mbaoma said his greatest joy would be to see the coronavirus crisis end so that players would immediately return to the pitch.

“Honestly, the whole thing is quite tiring – sitting at home doing absolutely nothing, no training, no matches.

“In fact, I would like to see the whole thing (virus crisis) end now so that we can go back to our normal activities,” said the former Remo Stars goal king.

Enyimba are fifth on the 20-team top-flight log on 36 points 13 behind leaders, Plateau United though with five matches to spare.