JUTH FC of Jos Vice Chairman, Isa Malafiya has attributed his team’s success in out going Natiional league division1A where they are setting the pace.
He spoke about his team’s ambition in the premier league.
Speaking in Jos, the seasoned football administrator said the dedication of players, experience of the technical crew, the hospital board and JUTH CMD, Dr.Ishaya Pam’s contribution as well as the managements effort led the team back to premier.
He also gives the way forward for Nigeria league as well as Nigeria football.
He spoke at length in this interview on issues concerning football in the country.
HOW WAS THE EXPERIENCE LIKE THIS SEASON?
It was a pleasant one from the beginning of the season, we are serious about our promotion ambition from the on set and we did our best to actualize the dream. We had six straight wins home and away consecutively, it was not easy to achieve such feat. It was a great experience and we were able to sustain the tempo up till now.
JUTH FC HAS PLAYED IN PREMIER LEAGUE AND NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION, HOW CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR EXPERIENCE AT BOTH SETTINGS?
They are two different settings. Honestly, dropping from Premier League was not a good experience that any team which to encounter. In term or organization and facilities at the disposal, premier league is superior to National league. The standard of football at Premier is good and higher than what it entails in National league. In National league, we have to cope with strange facilities especially the pitches that we met at different venues after playing two seasons consecutively ion Premier league. But for the fact that we have played there before, we were able to adjust with the reality on ground. As it is now, there is room for improvement at National league. I am of the opinion that the Nigeria football federation (NFF) should have a separate board that will run the National league division 1. They will have time to address the problems facing the league like facilities and get sponsors.
WHAT ARE THE SECRETS BEHIND JUTH FC SUCCESS THIS SEASON?
We have a formidable and experience technical crew that is dedicated to the team’s course. We also have a squad made up of experience players mixed with young talented players who are eager to make names for themselves. There is continuity in the team because we retain large numbers of our players from last season so blending and team work was easier. The management also did our best to see that we motivate the players based on our resources. And the great support we got from the Chairman board of director of the club, Dr.Ishaya Pam, the hospital management a s well as other stakeholder too numerous to mention did the magic for us.
YOUR TEAM HAVE BOOKED A PLACE TO PLAY IN THE PREMEIR LEAGUE NEXT SEASON AND YOU STILL HAVE TWO GAMES LEFT TO PLAY IN NATIONLA LEAGUE, AND PREMIER LEAGUE IS TO COMMENCE IN SEPTEMBER, DON’T YOU THINK THIS WILL HAVE EFFECT ON YOUR TEAM?
As it is now, we have made a return to the premier league, even with two matches to go. The picture of the four teams that will play in the premier league will be clearer after the last tow games are played. Even then our premiership status will be endorsed by NFF and NPL AGM but we won’t wait for that before we will start preparation for the season. We have already identified some of the weaknesses in the team and have identified some good players that will be recruited to beef up the team. Our technical crew too is still searching for the talented players that will be brought in to fortify the team for the task in the premier league. Management have sound serious warning to the ears of the technical crew that any players to be recruited must be better than those to be dropped because JUTH FC is not a dumping site or center for players rehabilitation. I am delighted that a lot of good players from premier league clubs have signify intention to play for JUTH FC.
HAVING A DEMANDING OFFICE JOB, HOW DO YOU COMBINE THAT WITH A TASKING JOB OF ADMINISTERING THE CLUB?
To God be the glory, hardly will you see an official of clubs in Nigeria having such dual responsibilities. As you have rightly noticed, the task of football management is so hectic that it need full commitment from administrator but I am happy to say that I have been able to handle both without any stress or problems. This is because I have been used to it over the years and has become part of me, I have schedule my programmes in such that both won’t suffer.
WHAT ARE YOUR SET GOALS FOR NEXT SEASON?
Firstly, I want to remain on top this season and go ahead to be crown the National league winner. Next season, I want my team to maintain the premier league status, but if continental ticket comes, we will grab it.
EAGLES HAD A DISMAL OUTING IN SOUTH AFRICA, WHAT DO YOU THINK WAS THE PROBLEM AND WHAT ARE THE SOLUTIONS TO SUCH PROBLEMS?
Super eagles’ performance in South Africa was not impressive. Though it was not surprising to some of us considering the level of our preparation for such competition. Our fire brigade approach to competition is bad. Football is a game that requires team work and blending, that was lacking in the eagles that we saw ion South Africa. How will you hurriedly assemble a team and expect it to do well at the world cup. The time the team had to prepare was too short. Poor outing of Eagles can also be attributed to neglect of our local league which should have been an avenue to get players who can play for national team as it was in the past instead of over relying on foreign based players.
IF YOU ARE GIVEN THE CHANCE TO BE PART OF DECISION MAKERS IN NIGERIA FOOTBALL AT NATIONAL LEVEL, WHAT WILL YOU DO TO TAKE NIGERIA FOOTBALL DAYS? BACK TO ITS GLORIOUS
This will in turn improve the standard of our league. Grassroot football will be revitalize, like the secondary school games and set up guidelines for proper football academies to groom young talents who will grow to take charge. Our football should also be repackaged in other to get sponsors to take over .Corruption which has found itself in Nigeria football should be shown the way out.
YOUR TEAM IS ONE OF THE FEW THAT DOES NOT OWE THEIR PLAYERS ENTITLEMENTS, HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO SUSTAIN THIS?
Football running is capital intensive world wide, but we have been able to successfully pay our players entitlements as at when due because in the first place, we don’t promise players what we can’t p[ay. All players that have played and still playing for JUTH can testify to that. That has been our policy ever since, I think that’s why players are comfortable coming to JUTH FC. WE have suffered in the past because of that because players ran away when we give them offer and they see that it is smaller to, what other teams’ offer them, but they know the truth when they see that the team lied to them and they could not pay what was agreed on. But we have overcome that as many good players want to come to JUTH FC now.
WHY DO YOU THINK NIGERIA FOOTBALL FANS PREFER TO PAY TO WATCH EUROPEAN LEAGUE MATCHES ON TV TO WATCHING NIGERIA LEAGUE MATCH AT STADIUMS?
It is very sad that people prefer watching European league on TV than our league live at stadium, It is embarrassing as far as I am concern. It is observed often that whenever there is European game on TV and a live match at stadium, the stand will be empty. It makes non sense of our league..The reason for this is that our local league is not yet mature and can not measure up to what we have in Europe especially interm of officiating, facilities and standard of play. Transparency in match officiating is better off in Europe than what we have here, this aid their standard of play. Perhaps the officiating level here has to do with our attitude. In fairness to Nigeria referees the environment in which they operate, I mean our stadium does not give them adequate protection to officiate according to the rules, they know the right thing but they can not help it. Mosty often at slightest provocations, fans will enter pitch and dressing room to descend on referees, beat them up even inflict injuries on them. In this ]kind of scenario, the referees does not have choice than to be biased in other to safe their life. Another reason is that the clubs in Europe are not run by government.
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