“With the calibre of my boys, I don’t really understand. Most of them did not play to instructions. The centre back gambled and gave the ball to the opponent and it led to the goal. I did my primary duty and they know it and I don’t see anything in Ifeanyi Ubah, they had no pressure in the game but that’s football and it happens like that in football,” said a rather vexed coach of MFM FC, Olalekan Gabriel to Sports247 after his side’s 1-1 draw to FC Ifeanyi Ubah in Lagos on MD 19 of the NPFL.
MFM FC went into the lead in Agege courtesy of a 35th-minute strike by Justice Zachariah after been put through on goal by Akanni Elijah who just came off the bench to see spark the game to life. The lead, however, was cut short in the second half after Lukman Ali levelled for the Anambra Warriors after good work down the right from the captain of the side, Ekene Awazie, whose strike was saved by the goalkeeper and then forced in by Lukman.
When quizzed about if he made a mistake by not starting Akanni Elijah and then bringing him one after realising it, the coach explained the player was fatigued. “It wasn’t an error. He was fagged out and I know people won’t understand. I had to plead with him and encourage him to even come on in the 2nd half as that was the plan. Other players have also been looking for a chance to play so I had to use that as an opportunity to rest him to get his energy back but in the end, I needed him,” said coach Gabriel.
The coach also clearly stated that he’s not under any kind of pressure to deliver but he will be making changes to the team going forward even as the league goes in mid-season break.
