NLO Super 8: Mailantarki Care boss assures of good outing

By Ifeanyi Eduzor

Chairman of high flying Abuja team, Mailantarki Care  FC, Hon. Khamisu Ahmed  Mailantarki says his team is not in Lagos to make up the numbers in the NLO Super 8 but  to continue on their winning form which made them the toast of the Nation Wide League One.

According to him, his team having defeated hard fighting Ebedei FC 2-1 in the day one of the competition that will decide the overall winners of the third tier league is set to go all the way.
He expressed confidence his players will go into their second game against Kum Khalifa on Thursday at the Legacy Pitch of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos with a winning mentality.

“We came all the way from Abuja not to make up the numbers but to showcase the quality the team is made up of and with an experienced coach like Manu Garba as our Technical Adviser, you don’t expect anything less.

“This is a club that I set up to give players from my state Gombe opportunity to showcase their talent and we’re just one year in the NLO but the results are there to show that we’re out for serious business and I am happy with the quality displayed by the players.

He explained that since the formation of the team, it has been from one victory to the other positing that it will propel him do more for the club.

“This is a club that started as an academy and from there we played in the amateur League and today we’ve qualified for the NNL. We have also participated at the Dana Cup in Denmark which we won and proceeded to Norway and won the Norway Cup which is a clear testimony that the team is capable of winning titles.

The former House of Representatives member noted that his target is to see some of his players play for the Super Eagles as well as ply their trade for big clubs like Manchester United and Real Madrid.

“My target is to see some of my players play for Manchester United and Real Madrid and even  the Super Eagles. Already we have some of them in the U-17 and U-20 teams but we’re not stopping there until they achieve their full potentials in football”, he stressed.

On the quality of organisation of the tournament, he expressed satisfaction with the competition but was quick to point out that for the country’s football to grow and become more attractive, there must be improved officiating.

“I must commend the organisers for what they’re doing but for our football to grow, measures must be put in place for fair officiating because at times you might see a team play so well but loose through poor officiating, so we need to do something about  that.

“But I’ m optimistic that the new NFF will critically look into this issue especially in the lower league because that’s the only way to get the best out of the players,” he concluded.