The management of state-sponsored Wikki Tourists FC of Bauchi on Tuesday said it was resolute to win the 2015/2016 Nigeria Professional Football League.
The club’s Media Officer, Nasir Kobi, made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.
NAN reports that the Savannah Boys have been on top of the NPFL log for the past five weeks before they were dislodged on Sunday by Rangers International FC of Enugu.
This came as a result of their 0-3 loss to Akwa United in the Match Day 29 NPFL fixture at the Nest of Champions Stadium, Uyo.
Soccer pundits are already tipping the Kabiru Makaiba-tutored side to spring a surprise by winning the league for the first time in the club’s 20-year history.
NAN reports that Akwa United was founded by the Military Administrator of Akwa Ibom State, Navy Captain Joseph Adeusi, in December, 1996.
In the same spirit, the team has not relented in its campaign to ensure that they are well motivated to win the NPFL 2015/2016 season.
The Tourists’ media officer said the season was theirs, claiming that the team had all the motivation to win the coveted league.
Kobi said: “We are not scared of any team in the league because we have played them all in one encounter or the other, so we know everybody’s strengths and weaknesses.
“We are very much ready to spring surprise and win this league.
“We have the backing of all the state’s indigenes and the government, so we are on course.
“We are on the eight match winning streak before we unfortunately lost to Akwa United in the Match Day 29 encounter, but that will not derail us, we will bounce back.
“Akwa United game will not be a setback toward our winning the league.
“We have a strong team that can defeat any other.”
On their strategy, Kobi said the league for now was a two horse race between it and Rangers International of Enugu.
He said: “We are aware that the race for the league crown is now between us and Rangers International, which is a strong side too.
“Our strategy is to win the remaining nine matches.
“The team will take the away matches seriously and ensure that we win at least three of the matches.
“Once we are able to achieve that, we’ll see what happens.
“We are now head to head with Rangers and the competition is so keen between us.
“I envisage that our remaining matches should not be a problem to us.
“The players know the task ahead of them.
“The importance and the prestige of being the champions.
“So they are being motivated to do well.”
Kobi said the team had been enjoying the magnanimity of the government since the start of the league, adding that the state was behind them.
He said: “The support from the government has been great since the start of the league.
“We have no issue of unpaid salaries and allowances to the players.
“The government recently gave the team a brand new Coaster bus to ease our movement.
“The Governor is a sports-loving one and appreciates football though he is a golf player.
“The state government has also assured us of a brand new Hilux van for the technical crew.
“These are motivations enough to keep us on track to win the league.
“Our winning the league means we would have justified the confidence reposed in us to do the state proud.”
On the players, Kobi said they were mentally fit for the challenge.
He said: “Some of our key players were selected for the NPFL All-Stars team going to Spain for friendly matches.
“They should be able to make use of the opportunity of the exposure in Europe playing tour to improve the lot of the club.
“That I am sure of.
“The tour will afford them more experiences.
“We also have a member of our technical crew on board to Spain too.
“So God helping us, the team will be more fortified when they return from Spain.
“We will also seek for more support from the indigenes of the state toward this course and at the end, we should be able to deliver a continental ticket.”
NAN.
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