Enyimba head coach Yemi Olanrewaju is unperturbed with the quality of oppositions in their CAF Confederation Cup group.
The People’s Elephant are drawn in Group D with defending champions Zamalek, another Egyptian club Al Masry and Mozambique’s Black Bulls.
“While we might have preferred a less challenging group, true champions know they must be ready to face anyone,” coach Olanrewaju told Flashscore.
“This is the toughest group in the competition, but this is Enyimba FC. We will do everything we can to uphold the club’s name and fight to advance. We know it will be challenging.”
While Zamalek and Al Masry are experienced campaigners on the continent, Black Bulls are not really known by many.
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“Everyone is focused on Al Masry and Zamalek, but nobody is mentioning Black Bulls from Mozambique. Nobody knows much about them, and I find teams that are less familiar to be more intimidating – they can catch you off guard when you least expect it,” added Olanrewaju.
“From my perspective, this is a very challenging group. We’ll approach each game one at a time and see how things unfold.”
Despite the enormity of the task before his team, Olanrewaju said they will strive to deliver a strong performance, while downplaying the pressure from Enyimba fans.
“Of course, we are ready. The boys have been performing well in the league, currently sitting in second place with four wins and one loss. Having qualified from the last stage, I believe my team is prepared, but we can definitely improve to compete effectively at this level, to be honest,”Olanrewaju stated.
“I’m pleased that we have at least a month to prepare before the continental games begin. This time will allow us to enhance our performance and focus on our development to get ready for the challenges ahead.
“There is always pressure because coaching Enyimba comes with pressure because we have demanding fans who want you to win always.
“Although the current generation of players differs from the previous ones that won the CAF Champions League consecutively – both in terms of quality, personnel, and mentality – the expectation (from fans) remains unchanged.
“These demands have consistently kept us on our toes, pushing us to achieve success for the club. Even when faced with pressure, we avoid adding unnecessary stress but always remain focused on making the club proud at all times.”
By Adeboye Amosu
