Rather than the annual Super Four, this year's Nigerian Premier League Preseason tournament will be a Super Six and it will kick off this weekend in Abuja. Champions Kano Pillars are joined by first and second runner up teams, Enyimba and Warri Wolves while Confederations Cup finalists Dolphins were invited too. The fifth and sixth teams are the Nigerian Under-20 and Under-23 teams. Here are five things we expect to see at this year's Super Six Tournament.
Five things we expect to see at this year's Super 6 tournament.
1. Made in Naija Football at last: Since the league ended in November, we have tried to distract ourselves with some footballing action going on elsewhere in the world including the African Cup of Nations which we somehow could not qualify for. This is why for some local football lovers, this could not have come any sooner. Yes, it is only a pre season tournament and yes it is hardly a trophy to break one's head for but the reality is that football is back, our football is back. After this ten day tournament, the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederations Cup follows soon after and then shortly after our League season starts. Our football, our own football is back.
2. How the new boys look: The big teams Kano Pillars, Enyimba and Warri Wolves have all been active in the market in the past couple of weeks, negotiating and snapping up players they believe will improve their teams as they embark on their domestic and continental tasks in the coming season. We will see Godspower Aniefiok and Tony Edjomareigwe feature for Pillars while Chima Uluocha one of the Federations Cup winners' new signings will be at the heart of the Enyimba's defence. Crown's Onyekachi Okafor most likely will be leading the line for 2nd runner up Warri Wolves with Gbolahan Salami having completed a move to Serbia last week and we even have the chance to see what Dolphins who have shut the world from their activities are up to. It is too early to tell how they will fare for their new clubs but we will be seeing them in their new colours as well as how the coaches hope to set them up.
3. Alex Iwobi: Alex Iwobi may not be a name that rings a bell among the Nigeria's footballing public but surely his uncle Austin Jay Jay Okocha does. The 18 year old opted to play for Nigeria despite representing England at the Under 17 and the Under 18. One of the key players in Arsene Wenger's Under-21 side and is believed to be near a first team breakthrough, Iwobi's pedigree has gone ahead of him and expectations are rocket high. We all would be watching to see this winger who is said to be comfortable on both flanks play for Samson Siasia's Under-23 Team. Whether he can dazzle and take the world by storm like his Uncle in the near future we shall see but we are eager for some foretaste beginning this weekend.
4. How ready the teams are: Each of the six teams invited for the tournament all have continental tasks ahead of them in the very near future. Premier League Champions for the third straight year, Kano Pillars will be hoping to transfer their dominance on the domestic front into the Champions League where they must overcome Al-Malakia of Sudan. The other Nigerian representative Enyimba of Aba face Benin side Buffles du Borgous. Wolves and Dolphins face RC Bobo of Burkina Faso and Leones Vegetarianos of Equatorial Guinea in the CAF Confederations Cup. The two junior teams, the Under-20 and the Under-23 sides also have tricky fixtures. Garba Manu's Under-20 side are getting set for the Africa Youth Championship in Senegal while Samson Siasia's Under-23 side are gunning for a place at the forthcoming all African games and these competitive fixtures will help access how ready these teams are and how much work needs to be done.
5. Our New Referees: While the rest of us were enjoying the holidays at our vacation spots, the NFF president, Amaju Pinnick sent two batches of Nigerian Referees to the UK for trainings and exposure. The referees are long back in the country but we are yet to see them demonstrate what they have learnt at these trainings and the Super Six offers an excellent opportunity. A lot has been said of the level of officiating in the league and we trust that this begins a new day for match officiating. The stakes are higher for them now especially after the efforts by the Football governing body to make these trainings happen.
Kano Pillars will face Dolphins of Port Harcourt in the first match while Enyimba play the flying Eagles and Warri Wolves tackle the Under-23 Team. All the matches are live on SuperSport.
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