By Eche Amos
As clubs await the offical announcement for the commencement of the 2019/2020 Nigerian Professional Football League Season, the newly appointed Board of Nasarawa United Football Club has said its aim is to qualify the Lafia-based club for the CAF Champions League slot.
Team Manager, Yahaya Musa Wambai, revealed this in Abuja while responding to questions from journalists at the Area 3 play ground where Nasarawa United are holding their Preseason matches. http://www.bellsnews.com/sports/governor-dapo-abiodun-cup-crown-fc-battle-3sc/
Wambai explained that with the quality of players in the team, the management is confident of actualizing the target of returning to the continent.
“We have confidence in the ability and capability of both the coaches and players and of the team.
“The players here are some of the finest in the country. The technical officials have picked those who can make our target achievable; it may seem daunting, but not insurmountable.
“Nasarawa United is not new to continental club football. We have been there before and we will not be scared of making any statement of assurance to the sponsors and supporters of the club that we will pick a continental ticket in no distant time”, Wambai emphatically stated.
He added that the new Board of the club is receiving all the desired attention from the State Government to excel in the league and other club competitions.
“The administration of Governor Abdullahi Audu Sule has categorically given the Board, officials and players of Nasarawa United a mandate to win trophies and make a continental statement, with an assurance to make every necessary resource available for the attainment of the mandate.
“The Governor is a man of results, and we will not leave any stone unturned to deliver on his mandate to us. We have passed the message across to the coaches and players, and we have also told them what is at stake -hard work, dedication discipline and consistency are the watch words.
“This Board will do whatever it can to win laurels and play at the continent”, the Team Manager reassured.
Wambai stressed that the team will honour the Ahlan Preseason tournament in Kano State next month to use it as preparatory ground ahead of the new league season.
Nasarawa United who came 4th in Group B of the Abridged Nigerian Professional Football League last season, have featured three times in Confederation of African Club competitions.
Their first appearance was in 2007 where they got knocked out in the second round in the CAF Champions League.
The team featured in the CAF Confederation Cup twice in
2007(Intermediate Round) and 2016 where they were eliminated in the first round.
Currently, Nasarawa United are on a one-week Pre-season tour of Abuja, where the newly acquired players are being tested in tune up matches.