April 01, (THEWILL) – Ex-Nigerian international, Mutiu Adepoju, has praised the officiating in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) this season, citing a marked improvement from previous years.
Adepoju commended the referees for reducing the win-at-all-costs mentality that was once rampant in the league. “Teams can now confidently win away which was not something that was usual in the NPFL. The number of away wins that were recorded at the beginning of the season was unprecedented, which also brings competitiveness to the league,” Adepoju said.
However, the former General Manager of Shooting Stars also acknowledged that there is still room for improvement, and while mistakes are inevitable, the Interim Management Company (IMC) has done a good job in holding referees accountable for their shortcoming.
According to Adepoju, the ongoing abridged league has surpassed the expectations of most followers, and with the second round of fixtures now underway, the competition for the Super-Six qualification has been heightened more than ever before.
Looking ahead to next season when the league returns to its original format of 20 teams, the player fondly nicknamed “Headmaster” is optimistic that further improvements and competitiveness will be witnessed.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
