After completing a nine-day close camping exercise in Awka that saw his wards record five wins and a draw in practice matches, technical adviser of Rangers International F.C, Coach Abdul Maikaba, is optimistic of his side emerging winners of the inaugural edition of the Dozy Mmobuosi sponsored NPFL pre-season Super Cup slated for Lagos, Nigeria.
Coach Maikaba after taking his players on several drills, Saturday, exhumed a lot of confidence in the work rate of his players and hope they take the same form into the preseason tournament.
“I will say that my team is fully prepared for the pre-season tournament as the management has given us all the support to ensure we prepare this team to the best level and I hope and believe that we shall come out with flying colors because the boys are in good shape,” stated Maikaba.
The vastly experienced tactician further said, “I believe that with the number of talent in our team, we can overcome the task of playing a match each day at the tournament and it will be a good ground for us put to test all we have been practicing for a good start in the coming season.”
Coach Maikaba described the challenges expected from teams invited for the tournament as strong but surmountable stressing, “The teams lined up for this tournament only reminds me of the golden years of club football where the stadium is filled to the brim before the teams even arrive and I believe that is what I.M.T is trying to bring back to the league. I expect a thrilling tournament as the other three clubs are formidable in their right but we have the right mix to emerge, winners.”
Also contributing, Ejike Uzoenyi who featured for the Super Eagles at the FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 and still firing from all cylinders for the ‘Flying Antelopes’, said, “I think our chances are clear. We just came back from a pre-season camping and getting ready for the tournament in Lagos”,
“I think, mentally, we are very prepared for the tournament and we are hoping to have a wonderful outing knowing fully that the tournament is a winner-takes-all and we are hoping to achieve our objectives”, he said
He stated further when reminded of the caliber of teams invited for the pre-season showpiece, “In modern football, names don’t play the game as we can see in the ongoing FIFA World cup in Qatar”,
“A player is as good as his last game and I think that for most of the teams in the tournament, Rangers is ahead in terms of preparations. They are going to fall for our sake because we are prepared not just for the tournament but for the coming league season.”
The tournament has the likes of Enyimba International, Shooting Stars Sports Club and Insurance F.C will be played in a league format with the top two teams playing for the One Hundred Million Naira prize money while the third and fourth-placed teams will play in the classification match.
Norbert Okolie
