When you are stung by a female Anopheles, there are chances that plasmodium has been introduced into your blood stream and can bring you down with malaria if your white blood cells are weak and immune system down.

On Matchday 28, Mosquito stung and there have been pandemonium in the Nigeria Professional Football League since Niger Tornadoes petitioned Enyimba FC for fielding Ikechukwu Ibenegbu – also known as Mosquito.

While the LMC – custodians of the league – squashed Niger Tornadoes quest for boardroom points on the basis of fair play, it is important that we take lessons from this incidence and seal up the loopholes to avoid such disgrace again.

  1. COMMUNICATION: The communication system between the LMC and the clubs needs to more efficient. I don’t know the current method but for Enyimba to claim ignorance and the LMC agreeing to this ignorance, communication needs to fixed ASAP. If a club doesn’t have a functional email address in 2018, then what is it doing in the NPFL? How can we say the proposed receiver didn’t receive the notification of Ikechukwu Ibenegbu’s ineligibility but “cc” Niger Tornadoes did?
  2. THE RULE BOOK: Section C5 of the 2016/17 was cited and the word “intentionally” became the loophole that saved Enyimba FC. While the interpretation and establishment of “intentionally” varies, it is apparent that Section C5 cannot be applicable in the NPFL if the norm is for teams to spot out ineligible players in the opposing teams. If Tornadoes have informed Enyimba at the pre-match, Mosquito won’t fly that Sunday. If teams do as LMC insinuates, then Section C5 will forever be redundant. No need for that clause then. Better still, take out the word “intentional“. Have you read the 2016/17 Rule Book?
  3. HANDS OFF: It would be better that the LMC hands off from sending caution notifications. It would eliminate such excuses of “we didn’t receive it” or “it is in the junk mail“. Before the LMC hands off, they need to provide updated caution table/details after each match on their official site and more robust match report with details of who received the yellow and red cards. With this, the clubs and the populace will not wait till a certain Niger Tornadoes petitions. The professional clubs will benefit. The amateur ones will suffer enough 3 points deduction before they sit up.
  4. BOARDROOM POINTS: As much as possible, the LMC tries to avoid all manner of boardroom points awarded because it can present you a champion built on the foundation of trickery. Some may call it wisdom and gamesmanship but it is folly. The name of the game is fair play. If you know a player is ineligible, inform your opponent. It may not be in the Rule Book nor your duty but you know it is a norm amongst you but you wanted to be the “sharp guy“. Folly. You can’t be my champion. Nevertheless, rules are rules. If it is established that three points must be awarded, so be it.
  5. STEP UP: We all have to step up. The LMC needs to be firmer with the Rule Book and its administration there of. The clubs need to get professional – enough of being dragged and spoon fed. Time to be a football club not a sinking fund project or a political tool. Get a records and stats department. I can be one for you but you need it more. Be consistent and stand out. It is beyond three points – REMEMBER.

Ok. That is about all i can say now. Folly Tornadoes, Soft LMC, Lucky Enyimba. The mosquito that struck on Matchday 28 was male – no malaria – and it went for the juicy fruits of three points. Mosquito will serve the ban in the Oriental Derby tomorrow between FC IfeanyiUbah and Enyimba in Nnewi.

We must fix our league, irrespective of how many times we need to fight all kinds of malaria in it.

We Move.

AmosCP

Advertisement