Edet Ikotidem
In 2022, Akwa United’s head coach Ayodeji Ajeni lamented Akwa United could not retain the title it won to be in the CAF league.
That year at the beginning of the season, Akwa United did not begin the league on a good note but thank God for the His Grace that made United remain in the premier league. In the abridged league in 2023, Akwa United also failed to begin the season on a good note and they have also failed to make the CAF league again.
Fine, they had 32 from 18 matches; the same points as Enyimba of Aba but the goals margin separated the two sides.
Bendel Insurance came from nowhere to pick 34 points, a feat Akwa United should emulate.
The Promise Keepers in 2022 ended their campaign in 9th place with 52 points from 38 games, 25 points behind champions Rivers United after losing their last match of the season 2-0 to Enugu Rangers in Awka
It shows it is expedient to always score as many goals as possible when you meet a team that does not match your standard, but Akwa United failed to make the best use of this opportunity
From records, Akwa United Fc of Uyo is the most highly funded football club in Nigeria where the team draws about N44 million monthly. Whether this amount is released as at when due, the truth remains that, it is the allocation for matches monthly.
How this money is used, the state government does not query it. It may also interest you to know that the salaries of the players are not included in this money.
How the money is being used does not concern me either but I believe with it, the team should be able to execute their matches in good form. I came to the understanding that Akwa United players are the most pampered in the NPFL, the reason best known to its handlers.
Also read: Akwa United’s Head Coach Ayodeji Ayeni Laments Over Inability To Retain Title
In the abridged league, I have only watched United’s match once and I left before the end of the first half. Any time I entered the vehicle to the stadium, a voice will tell me, ‘Are going to upset yourself’ and I will stay back.
From fillers, fans that watch the team play in Uyo always get themselves upset whether United wins or not and the number of fans has drastically reduced.
I believe with early preparation amends could be made.
Well, who doesn’t want to start off their football season with a bang? However, the question remains: How can you get your team ready for a successful season? One key element would be having them train before the season starts.
This way you can have a ready team that is going to give their best whenever the time comes.
If you follow football, you’re probably aware of the season and what is happening. More than likely, you’ve been watching your favorite team compete and win games all over town.
The first few weeks of a football season can be a tough time for Nigerian Professional Football League-NPFL teams.
The head coach is still mired in recruiting, training camp, and other activities. Players have not had many practices to prepare for the upcoming season.
Coaches need to spend time evaluating players, fixing problems, and getting them ready for games.
Ayodeji Ajeni must begin now to see what he can do if he is allowed to remain in Akwa United. The chairmen of Akwa United must not allow the exodus of good players to help the players blend more.
You may even find yourself feeling like you’re back at square one: You’ve got your team together—now what?
You may have read the headlines about how football players are in preseason. However, those who play in the NPFL have not had many practices to prepare for their upcoming season.
Coach Ayeni needs to spend time evaluating players, fixing problems, and getting them ready for the upcoming season.
He needs to look at your strengths so they can improve in those areas. They also need to know what needs work on your weaknesses, so they can help you fix them before the season starts.
A good coach will find out what’s going wrong with a player’s game and how it can be fixed before the season begins. If there are things like attitude or motivation issues that are causing problems, then those issues should be addressed immediately so that the team can focus on winning instead of losing
In 2022 Coach Ayodeji Ajeni Lamented
Once everything has been evaluated correctly then it’s time for preparation!
In order to be ready for the season, it’s important to plan ahead. It helps you to be prepared for the games and practices that will come up throughout the year.
Planning ahead also helps prepare yourself for those early-season workouts where everyone wants to get their body in top shape before they hit their peak performance levels
As mentioned, there are multiple factors that go into preparing for a football season. A coach needs to be ready to practice with their team, evaluate players and fix problems as quickly as possible. But it’s also important to remember that most of these activities occur before the official start of the season—so they can be planned well in advance. This gives you more time to prepare yourself mentally and physically before games begin.
