The Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) side Enyimba are set to compete in the CAF Confederations Cup and aim to add to their two continental titles when the competition starts in August.
Enyimba, who won the CAF Champions League in 2003 and 2004, will begin the next CAF inter-club campaign in the first round, having received a bye from the preliminary stage.
They await the winner of the preliminary stage fixture between Hafia Football Club of Guinea and the Burkinabe representatives (Rahimo FC or EFO) for a place in the group stage.
The fans in Aba are known for their passionate support, and their expectations are sky-high as Enyimba embarks on this new journey.
The club’s rich history and previous successes in continental competitions have set a high standard, and the current squad is determined to live up to these expectations.
Enyimba rebuilding for continental onslaught
Enyimba coach Olanrewaju Daniel told Afrik-Foot that he is not worried about his opponents; rather, he is focused on building a strong team that can compete both domestically and in Africa.
“We are trying to improve the squad and get ready for the new NPFL season as well as the CAF Confederations Cup,” he said.
“The expectations in Aba are high, and the pressure of coaching Enyimba is massive but good enough to drive us to achieve something good this season.
We don’t want to put too much pressure on ourselves in terms of targets because working at Enyimba itself comes with pressure, so we will take it one game at a time and focus on getting results.”
The former NPFL champions lost a few important players in the off-season.
Even though they have been replaced by others, Daniel said the work being done on the training ground is crucial to integrating the new players into the team.
Enyimba during The NPFL match between Rangers and Enyimba at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium. Photo by Abdul Momoh
Enyimba will be ready for the league and continental football – Daniel
The former Kwara United midfielder hopes the combination of new and old players will enable them to compete well in the NPFL and on the continent. The fans have been a huge reason why Enyimba have been so successful in recent years and that will not change this year he says;
“We have a lot of new players, and the focus now is integrating them with the old ones to understand our philosophy and the way we want them to play,”
he said.
“Hopefully, they settle down quickly and contribute their quotas to the team chases.
“Losing players like Ojo (Olorunleke), Cooper (Ikenna), Chibuike (Nwaiwu), and Mbaoma (Chijioke) is not easy. But I believe the rest of the old lads and the new ones should be able to carry the team to greater heights.”
Daniel also revealed he will miss his former boss Finidi George who he describes as a friend and a ‘big brother’.
“Definitely I will miss him but there is a job to be done. I will always respect him. My relationship with him is more than coaching. He is a big brother for life.”
he said.
Enyimba’s preparation for the new season has been meticulous, with the coaching staff working tirelessly to ensure that the team is in top shape.
The focus has been on building a cohesive unit capable of handling the rigors of both domestic and continental competitions.
