Emordi fears ACL backlash
by Humphrey Njoku 26 December 2012, 18:20
Enugu Rangers' manager, Okey Emordi said he fears negative impact to his side's campaign in the 2013 Caf African Champions League due to the delayed league season.
The 2012/2013 NPL season has been scheduled to commence in January with no feasible date in view while the Coal City side are expected to start their campaign in the Caf Champions League on the weekend of February 15, 16 and 17 at home against SC Do Principe of Sao Tome & Principe.
Emordi said the non-commencement of the league season has deprived his wards the opportunity of quality matches ahead of their African challenge.
"The uncertainty of the league date has not helped us fix our programmes for our continental assignment and it is giving us lots of concern. We fear it will affect our Caf Champions League campaign.
"Though we're trying our best to put things together but it's not enough. We're supposed to be playing competitive matches weekly to serve as dress rehearsal for the continental duty.
"Of course, the toughest stage of the Champions League challenge is the preliminary where you lose, you lose completely unlike the later stage where you stand the chance to drop to the Confederation Cup.
"I don't know whether the managers of our football are seeing things from same perspective so as to quicken the start of the league in order to help us challenge for the African title," said the former Enyimba coach to supersport.com.
The former African Coach of the Year said he is completely ignorant of his side's ACL foes.
"That's another cause of worry for us, as nobody knows anything about the Sao Tome & Principe side.
"We're just believing in our home strength to score as many goals as possible as to make the reverse fixture a mere formality," he said.
