Obi says staying alive better than NPFL

Katsina United central defensive midfielder, Eugene Obi has said that staying alive and healthy during the coronavirus crisis is more important than football competitions.

The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) and all other domestic leagues in Nigeria have been suspended since mid-March due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, with no clear resumption date in sight.

Obi said that while engaging in football activities was part and parcel of his calling as a professional, only the living could actually partake.

 “Life is utmost important, football, too, is equally important to us as core professionals but only the living can engage or play football.

“We want to see everybody come back to the football pitch alive after the coronavirus crisis.

“We will not want to hear that so, so and so persons are dead or sick, none of us will be happy with such news.

“It will be good for all of us to stay alive and healthy within this period of rampaging coronavirus crisis.

“Every one of us must strive to adhere to the all the health measures put in place by the health authorities during the coronavirus crisis,” said the former Nasarawa United strongman.

Obi said the coronavirus-induced break will negatively affect the whole teams by the time the league resumes.

“We will not find it easy coping with the attempt to come back to our pre-coronavirus fitness level.

“Not only Katsina United but the whole 20 teams will experience the same difficulties having been inactive for the past one month.

“And the end of the crisis is not yet in sight so the negative effect will be great and huge.

“Of course, we do observe personal trainings within the confine of our homes they are not the same as training under the expert and watchful eyes of our coaches.

“I just hope the league body – League Management Company (LMC) will give teams up to two weeks to shake off the tired legs before hitting onto the pitch,” said Obi.

Katsina United are 10^th on the 20-team top-flight log on 34 points 15 behind league leaders, Plateau United though with a match at hand.