General Manager of Shooting Stars Football club Oladimeji Lawal has saluted the fans of the team for their good conduct during the first stanza of the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL)
Speaking in Ibadan Lawal fondly called Kabongo stated that he would want to commend the fans for their good conduct during period in question noting that this saved the team from inciting the wrath of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the league.
He observed that an untoward conduct as such had earned some teams points and goals deduction noting that this was what befell a team like Nasarawa United Football club which was sanctioned by the IMC for attack on Rivers United recently during a league match in Lafia , Nasarawa State
The General Manager explained that this kind of situation often puts a team in a very difficult position as it will have to struggle to recover the points and goals deducted while it might not enjoy the comfort of playing its matches at home.
In view of this, Lawal who went through the gamut of Golden Esglets, Flying Eagles and the Super Eagles noted that fans should bear it in mind that every administrator wants his or her team to win only that results may not often go his or her way.
He said further that Shooting Stars seemed clueless regarding getting victory during the first stanza because of the problem associated with blending players together to strike the chemistry that will engender good results adding that as soon as this was secured, the 1976 African Cup winners cup champions began to churn in victory upon victory to the extent that it now occupies the third position in the league.
The General Manager who came to prominence as one of the members of the Damam , Saudi Arabia 89 Flying Eagles squad and the silver medalists at Scotland 87 noted that it somehow baffling how some Journalists misconstrue or analyze matches because of their position and little understanding of football tactics stressing that is different from what an administrator sees on the pitch during football matches.
He noted that during matches, a team may have moments when they have slight fatigue, brief loss of concentration or some other factors which Journalists may not know pointing out this should not be misconstrued as the team lacking a player or more in one area of the game or the other .
Lawal revealed that the 1996 and 1998 league winners as well as the 1996 double champions have some players from high profile teams in the league training with the team explaining that he would not name names because just as any other leagues in the world, the only time a team can claim ownership of any player is when the player in question have signed with it observing that it would amount to chasing shadows announcing the names of player now in the media only for the player to wear the jersey of another team in the NPFL during the second stanza.
He however promised the fans of the Oluyole Warriors the league shield or finishing second or third at worst stressing that all hands in the club side are already on deck in this direction.
“ We want the fans to be very hopeful because we want to win the league for them or at least win a continental ticket so that the team will play in either the CAF champions league or the CAF CUP” he stated further.
“We have three options with which to get this and these are through winning the league or coming second or through the FA cup and we are working towards achieving any of these” Kabongo explained further.
“Our fans have been very supportive and understanding and we want to thank them for their good conduct and urge them to show the same attitude by controlling their emotions even when results do go their way” The General Manager opined.
“ We want them to know that you can not win all the time as you may not have things your way all the time but suffice to say that we will be winning the league or at least a continental ticket for them as a way of showing gratitude for their support and good conduct “ he submitted
