Technical Adviser of Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia, Issa Ladan Bosso, has advocated for the live telecast of all matches in the ongoing Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL), to make the league more interesting and attractive.
According to him, if the games were transmitted live on television, more sponsors will be attracted to invest, while more people will develop interest in the Nigerian League, thereby removing the ugly impression some Nigerians have about the league.
He said Nigerian referees were good, but sometimes influenced by fear for dear lives when taking some decisions.
Live telecast of matches, he said, will therefore give the officials more confidence to handle the matches without fear of molestation, as is the case in developed leagues across the world.
According to him, his side has never been afraid of having its home matches shown live on television, but wondered why the club’s away games don’t receive similar attraction.
He said: “Six of Abia Warriors’ home matches have been shown live on television this season, the highest in the campaign; but our match against Akwa United in Uyo was only our second live match away.
“In our first away match that was telecast live, we beat Enyimba 1-0 in Aba, and in Uyo, we picked a draw. That means that live telecast of matches will make the league more competitive while more players will be discovered for the national teams.
The former Kano Pillars, Bendel Insurance, Niger Tonadoes and Bayelsa United sweat merchant described the Akwa United match as one of the hardest away games for the club this season, and commended his players for their resilience despite the antics of the home side.
Though the club did not give him any target when he joined, he said his personal target of taking every club he has handled to the continent is still very much intact in Abia Warriors.
He said: “If I could pick a continental ticket at Bayelsa United, why not in Abia Warriors where I have experienced coaches and management. When you are working with an experienced management, half of the job has been done for you. I so much believe in my club’s management.
He retained about 80 per cent of the boys who took the team to the Premier League in order to maintain continuity. He added that in due time, the players will explode to their full potentials.