Head Coach of Sunshine Stars FC, Fatai Amoo, has suggested to the League Management Company (LMC), to partner with the operators of various domestic airlines in the country, to airlift players of clubs in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) to the nearest airport to the venues of their away matches.
There is an incessant practice of travelling by the ever congested Nigerian roads by teams in the Glo Premier League to honour away matches irrespective of distance, which Amoo opined contributes to the away losses.
He said the LMC could liaise with the local airliners for low charges from various clubs, so as to ease the stress and risk experienced while traveling by road to honour away matches.
“Even if the clubs are to wear the airline company’s logo on their jersey, then that’s not a problem, it can be arranged,” Amoo told NAN.
“I’m appealing to the LMC to please partner with some local airlines for the sake of away matches. Sometimes these players are stresses from traveling to really far states to play.
“And this adds to the woeful outcome of our away games. You find that when we have impeccable home matches, the clubs usually go for stressful away matches and lose.”
“All the Globacom registered club travel by road to honour their away matches; this is not affecting only Sunshine Stars, but all the other teams in the league.
“The journey is so long and tedious that the players are exhausted even before the game.” Amoo added.
The coach lamented his team’s away record which he attributed to the condition of having to travel a long distance for matches.
“I’m not happy about our away record. It’s really appalling and this is because of this uncomfortable circumstance the players are put in, in terms of long trips.”
Sunshine Stars FC are currently ranked 7th position in the league with 37 points from 26 games.
It’s a very welcome development if that should be done.