Bayelsa Queens of Yenagoa sensation, Zainab Olapade has refrained from scolding the team’s management for their inability to win this year’s Nigerian Women Football League (NWFL) Super-6, but said everybody at the club should take the blame.
The Yenagoa-based side could not make the best of hosting the Super-6 at Samson Siasia Stadium in the state’s capital, as they settled for a 1-1 draw with Edo Queens of Benin City on the last day of matches when three points would have given them the gong.
In the feisty encounter, Olapade played her part with a goal, but Emem Essien netted for the invaders from Edo State, who returned home with the 2024 NWFL title while leaving their hosts inconsolable.
In her reaction right after the pulsating match, Olopade admitted it was painful not being able to win the title, but stressed that the club’s management should not be blamed solely.
She noted further that no one would be pointing accusing fingers had they clinched the title, then asserted that even the coaches and players should be called to question, not just their officials.
While admitting her distraught emotions over their title failure, Olopade affirmed that she is still loyal to Bayelsa Queens, then urged everyone to pick up the pieces and get back on track.
She added, “I don’t even know what to say. It’s very, very painful. Supposing we had won this match, we would have carried the league title and then been able to represent Nigeria.
“We knew what was at stake and, though we played our best, we could not win. I will just say that is the way God wants it. Everything is in God’s hands.
“We tried our best, but the outcome was not something we liked. I don’t even like the outcome today.”
She then looked to the future and expressed positive wishes for both sides, then assured that all the players would quickly recover from the setback and work harder for better results ahead.
Olapade continued: “All the best for us and all the best for the team that won it. We’ll keep on trying.
“That is just what I’ll say. We’ll keep on trying, keep on training, and keep on putting in our best efforts.
“I believe that, if we try more and put in more of our best, everything will work out well for us at Bayelsa Queens.”
Olapade then concluded with a declaration that it is wrong to start the blame game just because their team failed to win the Super-6 on home soil in Yenagoa.
“I won’t like to say anything about our management, because I don’t want it to be like I’m spoiling my club’s officials.
“I’m still with Bayelsa Queens for now. So, I will not say that the problem is from the management or not. Everybody is the problem because, if we had won this league, I don’t think anyone would say anything bad about the management or the players.
“It is because we lost that everything is coming out, but everyone is at fault – the coaches, the management, the players. Everybody is at fault for us not winning this league.
“If we had won it, nobody would say something is wrong with the club’s management, something is wrong with the coaches, or we don’t have good players.
“I will just say that we will keep on trying and put in better effort next time so that we will get there,” she stressed.
