Essien Nse: Akwa United’s continental aspiration is on track

Member of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and Technical Director of the state owned football clubs, Hon. Essien Nse has said Akwa United will surely win a continental ticket at the end of the ongoing NPFL season. The vice-chairman of Akwa Ibom State House committee on sports also spoke to SHOT! on Akwa […]

Member of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and Technical Director of the state owned football clubs, Hon. Essien Nse has said Akwa United will surely win a continental ticket at the end of the ongoing NPFL season. The vice-chairman of Akwa Ibom State House committee on sports also spoke to SHOT! on Akwa United U-19 preparations for the forthcoming International Soccer Clubs tournament in Egypt.

How far with Akwa United’s U-19 preparation for the forthcoming International Soccer Clubs tournament in Egypt?

We are preparing hard. It is an international tournament for youth teams of soccer clubs around the world. This is its inaugural edition and eight youth teams across the world will be taking part beginning from 7-12 August in Egypt. This tournament is also recognised by FIFA so it is not a ‘back yard’ competition. The team is presently in camp as we speak. They are training at the University of Uyo stadium. We are not going to the tournament to make up the numbers. We are going there to bring home the trophy. It is an inaugural tournament and we believe that if we go there and do our best, we shall open up opportunities for other clubs in Nigeria to be invited. We want to make it a good one so that the organisers won’t feel they made a mistake by inviting us. We have top talents in Nigeria so we are being rated as tournament favourites. We are going to represent Nigeria very well.

How committed is the government of Akwa Ibom to this team’s preparation?

The government is totally committed to the development of football in the state, not only football but all other sports. This is a kind of developmental programme and government is fully involved. The other time, Akwa United U-15 team were involved in the maiden edition of the NPFL/La Liga competition and they did very well. It is about giving the talented youths the opportunity to express what God has given to them. That is the passion the government has in developing sports in the state.

There are so many youth clubs in Nigeria. Why did the tournament organisers settle for Akwa United U-19 team?

If you are put in charge of development of football in your state, you must be able to put your experience and contacts to good use and that was exactly what happened. We have been nominated to represent Nigeria in this inaugural tournament because we used our contacts to grab the opportunity. It could have gone to any other top team in the Nigerian league. 

You are also the technical director of Akwa United so how do you fancy the chances of the team winning this year’s league title?

From the beginning of the season we set our target which is to play continental football. We started by going for a very sound coach who knows the league very well. Furthermore, our philosophy is to play good football. We have a magnificent stadium and so it is only good football that will attract spectators to the stadium. Apart from a good coach, we went for the right calibre of players with the right attitude to deliver. So like I said right from day one, we set our target which is continental football. It is true that we didn’t start very well but the reason is simple. We let go almost 60 percent of the team and recruited replacements who needed time to blend. So our performance in the first six to seven matches was not good but we were confident that with the calibre of players we have we would be where we are at the moment. Had it been we picked all the points we dropped at home, definitely we would have been on top of the table by now. By and large, we are confident we will do well. If the referees will give us good officiating we are confident we will beat any team anywhere.

So you are saying even if Akwa United fail to win the title, a continental ticket will be good enough?

Our target is to play continental football but if the title comes, we would pick it up with all gratitude but we are more focused on going back to the continent and everybody around here believes we have a good team that can take us to there. 

Unlike Nigerian clubs, Abdul Maikaba was not fired even when Akwa United were struggling. Why did Akwa United act differently?

This job is about hiring and firing. You can never take it away from football. The best coaches in world football get fired. All the sponsors and management want is result. If you cannot get them the results you have to go. But then we want our coaches to be consistent in the team and to develop the players they want. 

Last time Akwa United played in the continent, the experience wasn’t a good one. How confident are you that it will be a different story this time?

Definitely, we have learnt a lesson from that experience. This is one of the reasons we brought in these calibre of players with the right attitude. I mean players who are experienced and determined to do well for the club and for themselves. When players are doing well, they have more opportunities. At the moment, we have four players in the Home-based Super Eagles. It never used to be like this. These players are committed.

How much support is the team receiving from the state government?

I was coming to this important point. The major thing is that in Akwa United, the players are highly motivated. Government is doing fantastically well for them. Their salaries and bonuses come right on time. The commissioner for youths and sports does not joke with their emoluments. He tries as much as possible to ensure that they are paid right on time and don’t forget that we have an experienced club chairman in person of Paul Bassey who is well versed in football. In addition, we have good managers of the game from the governor who has been magnificent with his sponsorship of the team to the commissioner who does well to make sure the players and officials get what is due to them as well as the club chairman who knows how to push the players. I must also mention the technical crew headed by Coach Maikaba. They are all doing a wonderful job. It is not cheap and that is why you can see the results coming out.

What is your candid assessment of the Nigeria Professional Football League?

Fantastic organisation but we are lacking in refereeing. Most of the referees are not giving us what we want. The fans want to go to the field and watch beautiful football but most times the referees are not fair enough. And if this persists, we may not get there. Referees should wake up and stop giving unnecessary penalties. Most times a striker will on his own fall in the box and referees would award them penalties. It happened in Jos between Plateau United against FC IfeanyiUbah and it happened against us when we played Remo Stars in Shagamu. In the 86th minute, the referee awarded them a penalty that killed our joy. We should have won that match but the referee manufactured the penalty to kill our joy. Most of these referees are kill-joy. They do not allow the game to flow. If we don’t allow better teams to take points on merit and qualify to represent the country, we would continue to fail in the continent. Imagine three of our teams in the continent crashed out in the first or second round. My appeal to club managers is for them to allow the better teams to win. That is the beauty of football.

Are you therefore calling for stiffer penalties for erring referees? 

LMC is doing well but they must watch the referees closely. Some of them have no business officiating in the league. If stiff sanctions are imposed on referees who misbehave while officiating, they will all sit up. LMC need to wield the hammer. Winning at home by all cost can’t give us true champions of the league.