Abia Warriors technical adviser Imama Amapakabo has declared his side ready for the new Nigeria Premier Football League season.
Abia Warriors Ready For New Season
Imama stressed the importance of starting the campaign strongly and building momentum during the opening weeks of the season.
“To say we’re not prepared would be unthinkable. I believe Abia Warriors are as prepared as we can be for the season,” Imama told the club’s media.
Strong Start Key To Successful Campaign
The former Super Eagles assistant coach believes a positive start to the 38-game campaign is non-negotiable.
Imama likened the league season to a 400-metre race, describing the opening nine matches as the crucial first 100 metres.
“It’s always important to start on a good footing,” he explained.
“We’ve talked about it as players and as individuals. Everyone understands what it means to begin with a win.
“I break the season down. There are 114 points available in total. The first nine games are worth 27 points. We will see how many of those we can pick up and then build from there. But the key thing is to start well.”
Imama Eyes Winning Start
Abia Warriors will open their campaign at home against Oriental rivals Kun Khalifat FC on Sunday.
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imama is eager to see his players translate the work done in pre-season into a strong performance in the encounter.
“I want to see how well the players have imbibed my philosophy, how we play and how we execute,” he said.
“In the final third especially, I want to see better coordination.
“Converting chances was one big challenge for us in pre-season. It was also an issue for us last season, and correcting that is one of my main targets this season.”
Attacking Philosophy Remains
Abia Warriors lost a number of key players from last season and are currently rebuilding, but Imama insists he will not abandon his attacking philosophy.
“We lost a couple of players from last season’s squad, so we are rebuilding and trying to infuse our defensive philosophy into the new players,” he stated.
“But my approach has always been clear. If you score 15 against me and I score 18, I will still win.
“I’m an attacking-minded coach. I tell the players all the time that I’m not afraid of losing, but I don’t want to lose. We will play my way.
“After the first nine games, we can assess where we are, where we are short and what we need to fix.”
By Adeboye Amosu
