The coach of newly-crowned champions of the Nigeria Professional Football League, Kennedy Boboye is already in the mood for continental football.
Akwa United won the 2020/2021 NPFL title in grand style, beating MFM FC 5-2 in front of home spectators who witnessed the club lift a maiden trophy since it was established in 1997
Coach Boboye, who won the league title with Plateau United in 2017 is relishing this recent victory but already has his sight set on continental football. “First I give it to God, second to the players. They were there for me. All of them, including those who have travelled out. This glory is for everybody,” he said.
[READ ALSO]Tokyo Olympics: Amusan Finishes 4th In Women’s Hurdles Final
It has indeed been a record-breaking season for the Promise Keepers. Despite a faulty start to the campaign, they picked themselves back up to play admirable football. On matchday 7, 31st January 2021 to be precise, they beat Kano Pillars 1-0 to begin a journey that had them go unbeaten in 18 league games. The longest record since 1990. At the post-match conference, Boboye said: “That was when we started thinking that it’s possible for us to win it if we keep the momentum.”
The unbeaten run was ended in a 0-1 defeat to Katsina United on matchday 29, Sunday 27th June at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium. Samuel Kalu’s goal in the 15th minute did the damage to Akwa United’s admirable run.
Akwa United won the league trophy with a game to spare and the former Abia Warriors manager believes with the league title now delivered, the next target should be continental football.
“I have my targets but I also need to speak with the club management to know their continental ambitions. When I sit with them in the meeting, I will know what they want and that will determine my fate.”
Boboye added: “It’s just for me to keep working hard because I’ve seen it all in the league the next target is to do well in the continental tournaments. It shouldn’t be about winning the league or just qualifying and then go in and out. The focus is the play to a remarkable stage, playing in the semi-finals or final. That is the utmost task I’m thinking of now,” he concluded.
In 2018, Akwa United featured in the CAF Confederation Cup but failed to reach the group stage. Coach Boboye will be hoping to produce a better experience on the continent.
