Enyimba assistant coach Yemi ‘Yema’ Olanrewaju has defended his decision to field young and relatively inexperienced players in their recent 3-2 win against Akwa United in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
This tactical choice saw Flying Eagles midfielder Daniel Daga, Chidiebere Nnachi, Eze Ekwutoziam, and Chibuzor Izuogu playing prominent roles in the match.
The defending champions secured a hard-fought victory with goals from Innocent Gabriel, Chijioke Mbaoma, and a brilliant free-kick from Somiari Alalibo.
In response to questions about his decision to rely on younger players, Yema, who was standing in for head coach Finidi George in this match, emphasized that age was not the primary factor when selecting players.
stated, “For me, just like coach Finidi George, 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.”
Yema pointed out the examples of great players like Lionel Messi, who made his debut at Barcelona at a relatively young age, to illustrate his point.
firmly believed that if these young players had the skills and abilities, they deserved to be on the field.
However, Yema also expressed concern about his team’s defensive performance, highlighting their vulnerability to conceding goals from set pieces.
Enyimba had conceded four goals in their first two matches of the NPFL season. Yema acknowledged the need for improvement in this aspect of their game and emphasized the importance of players, including the goalkeeper, taking responsibility and learning from their mistakes.He remained optimistic that with time and work, their defensive performance would strengthen.
