Akwa United have officially unveiled 12 new players ahead of the 2018/2019 Nigeria Professional Football League this season, reports Completesports.com.
The new players were presented to the media, fans and stakeholders of the club at a colourful ceremony at the Nest of Champions – Akwa Ibom International Stadium on Friday.
Mfon Udoh , Juwon Oshaniwa, Brazilian midfielder Alberico Barbosa Da Silva, Markson Ojobo, Emeka Atuloma and Ndifreke Effiong.
Others include; Cameroonian international goalkeeper Jean Efala, Ivoirien central defender Blaise Adou, 2016 NPFL winner Ocheme Edoh, 2016 Federation Cup winner Wilson Elu and two former Golden Eaglets players Wisdom Fernando and Samuel Akpan, who both played for Akwa Starlets last season in the Nigeria National League.
Two new assistant coaches were also unveiled to the public; they are; Brazilian coach and Match Reader Isreal Jose Lira and Former Coach of Cofine FC Daniel Japhet.
Chairman of Akwa United Elder Paul Bassey expressed satisfaction at the quality of players the club has signed and stressed that the players were contracted on merit.
“Today, we see the return of Akwa Ibom indigenes, not because they are from the state, but because they are some of the good players this country can offer,” Bassey told reporters.
“In order to start well, we have decided to add those we consider
to be some very good players that will help us realise our dream.
“At this point, I want to say a very big thank you to Akwa Ibom Government led by Governor Udom Emmanuel, the fans, supporters, the media community and sports stakeholders in the stated.
Speaking on behalf of the new players, NPFL record scorer Mfon Udoh said they were delighted to join a top and an ambitious team like Akwa United and assured that they will contribute to the success of the club in all competitions.
“On behalf of my colleagues, I want to say that we are delighted to join a big team like Akwa United. This is a team that have won two Federation Cup titles in three years and have also played on the continent, so we are glad to be part of this great club,”Udoh stated.
“I have confidence in the quality of players in this team, they are some of the very best in the NPFL and we have a young coach who is ambitious too, so we have come to Akwa United to win trophies. We are ready to give our all and help the team to achieve it’s set goals,” the striker said.
The Promise Keepers have renewed the contract of 23 players and have registered 35 players for the 2019 NPFL season.
Akwa United will kickstart their 2019 NPFL season campaign with a home game against El Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri on Sunday 13th January, 2019.
AKWA UNITED’S REGISTERED PLAYERS FOR THE 2019 FOOTBALL SEASON
DANIEL EMMANSON
UBONG IDIO
CHIGOZIE CHILEKWU
ETIM MATHEW
DENIS NYA
UBONG FRIDAY
ALBERICO DA SILVA
MFON UDOH
EZEKIEL BASSEY
OBATA PAUL
BARNABAS IMENGER
EMEKA ATULOMA
JAMIU ALIMI
WILSON ELU
OTOBONG EFFIONG
JUWON OSHANIWA
JEAN EFALA
OCHEME EDOH
MARKSON OJOBO
NDIFREKE EFFIONG
EMMANUEL IWU
MICHAEL IBE
SAMUEL AKPAN
WISDOM FERNANDO
CYRIL OLISEMA
ADOU BLAISE
DANIEL EKPO
ETBOY AKPAN
OJO OLORUNLEKE
KODJOVI DADZIE
CHRISTOPHER LOLO
ANIEKEME ASUQUO
EMMANUEL CHARLES
GODSPOWER IGUDIA
UBONG ESSIEN
By Adeboye Amosu
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COMMENTS
Wow! Mfon Udoh, Juwon Oshaniwa, Emeka Atuloma, Barnabas Imenger. Now, this is an NPFL team I can be confident in and will want to rep Nigeria in CAF club Competitions.
In a moribund league when never kick ball for 7 months? Let’s forget CAF competitions in 2019 and focus on getting it right for 2020.
A team that has not played regular football in a year will never win any CAF competition. Once they start the league then six months down the line we will see the true squad. As we speak Lobi stars players are going to miss the next Champions league match because of trials in Vietnam
A strong team