The 2014/2015 edition of the Nigeria Professional Football League, otherwise known as the Glo Premier League, gets underway on Saturday under the shadow of an armed robbery attack.
The competition’s 10 Week One matches, scheduled for nine venues across the country, were on Thursday reduced to nine matches at eight venues following an incident which left a team decimated.
The robbery attack on Kano Pillars at Abaji on the Abuja-Lokoja Highway, which left six players injured, forced the postponement of the defending champions’ game with hosts, Heartland FC in Owerri.
The critical incident, while it has not stopped the competition from going ahead, has however forced the organisers to change plans.
But it has indeed left all league stakeholders with a food for thought, especially as it concerns the welfare of the participating clubs’ players and officials.
However, the Port Harcourt double-header, with Sharks facing Sunshine Stars and Dolphins hosting Kwara United, will herald the competition on Saturday, while the rest seven matches will hold on Sunday.
The matches in Port Harcourt are no doubt going to be explosive and they are good enough to start a competition that will again struggle to attract to itself attention.
Dolphins and Sharks had good runs last season, but their efforts were not just good enough for their fans and sponsors and a good start on Saturday will be expected.
However, they will face in Sunshine Stars a rejuvenated side and in Kwara United a side that will be looking to impress in this return to the top-flight.
The matches on Sunday are also great advertisement for the competition, even in the absence of defending champions, Kano Pillars.
Bayelsa United versus Lobi Stars in Benin and El-Kanemi Warriors versus Nasarawa United in Kano have great potentials of being explosive.
The same goes for Giwa FC versus Abia Warriors, Gabros International versus Warri Wolves, and FC Taraba versus Rangers International.
Also, Enyimba International versus Akwa United can be very entertaining, if not overshadowed by the home team’s troubles, which are underlined by a players’ strike threat.
However, more should be expected from the Wikki Tourists versus Shooting Stars game, where both sides will be trying to settle old scores from their recent encounter in Ilorin.
But notwithstanding what happens in the weekend matches, the clubs will get better with the matches as the league goes on.
It is just a matter of time before the real picture begins to emerge.
The full fixtures:
Bayelsa United vs Lobi Stars
Enyimba International vs Akwa United
FC Taraba vs Rangers International
Sharks FC vs Sunshine Stars
Gabros International vs Warri Wolves
Giwa FC vs Abia Warriors
Dolphins FC vs Kwara United
El-Kanemi Warriors vs Nasarawa United
Wikki Tourists vs Shooting Stars.