Enyimba International Assistant Coach, Yemi Olanrewaju, is optimistic that the Aba warlords will find their groove again after recent struggles.
Enyimba are currently in 14th position in the 20-team NPFL table with 3 points from three games, with a game in hand. They lost 0-2 at Gombe United before bagging their first win of the 2023/2024 campaign against Akwa United on Sunday, October 15.
Speaking to Completesports.com in Aba after the People’s Elephant survived the Akwa United scare before winning 3-2, Olanrewaju who stood in for Head Coach Findi George who was on national duty with Super Eagles believes his team has the capacity to become stronger and go all the way to retain the NPFL title.
Interview by CHIGOZIE CHUKWULETA
Excerpts…
Completedsports.com: This is the very first win for Enyimba this season, what do you think about the victory?
Olanrewaju: It’s been long coming, everyone has been waiting for this victory and I am glad it’s finally here. There has been so much pressure on us to perform. We hadn’t won any competitive games this season, only friendly games. Today we were determined to win, although the game was a bit tense we stuck to our pattern and changed a few things technically.
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Nothing really changed with our play style. We just increased intensity and became a bit more aggressive. We knew we needed this victory, for us, and for the whole Aba fans. This victory is for everybody.
Moving forward from here, what are you expecting?
As I said, we are the NPFL defending champions, we won the league last year. We won on the pitch. So this season, nothing will be different. We want to go for the title again even though we know it’s going to be a tough one because other clubs are not sleeping.
We need to be more coordinated administratively and otherwise. And once that is done, we have the players that can comfortably deliver the title to us. Now, the focus is on Wydad [2023 African Football League, First Leg, Quarter-final] on Sunday. We want to make the country and Enyimba proud.
Two games played in the 2023/24 NPFL, four goals conceded, are you not concerned?
I am not concerned because if you see all the four goals we conceded they were all set pieces. For me, we practice all through the weeks and we know the way we are tactically set up, we only concede goals in open play. So, I think we need to improve on that but things will get better, we cannot throw them under the bus because they made a mistake, they must make that mistake.
You played some very young players in your game against Akwa United at the expense of some other experienced players, why the decision?
For me, I don’t think we believe in age. It’s all about what you bring to the table. These are young talented players. If they can play, why won’t you field them? Football is not about age. A lot of players in Barcelona made their debut at the age of 17/18, so if they can play what stops them? So they’re good, that is why they are playing and there’s no other reason.
What are you looking forward to in the match against Wydad?
I keep saying it even when we lose: this is Enyimba FC where only victory is accepted and we are going to go all out against Wydad. This victory today [vs Akwa United] is good for us, the confidence of the boys is high up now so I think we are ready for Wydad on Sunday.
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