Chairman of AbraySports Football Club, Abdullahi Yusuf said winning the 9th edition of AMAPRO Football Championship is a fitting consolation for their narrow miss of promotion into the second tier Nigerian National league (NNL).
Yusuf stated this following their victory against NPFL All Stars in a penalty shootout (8-7 goals) on Sunday.
AbraySports retained the title at the AMAPRO challenge, arguably one of the best pre-season soccer championships put together by FIFA trained and accredited consultant, Shogo Shodunke.
“Missing out narrowly from the NNL after qualifying from Kwara State at the playoff has been painful for the boys but we had to put in a lot of work to have them in the best frame of mind in the game and it has paid off for us,” said Yusuf.
Explaining how the club managed the fit to defeat the star studded NPFL All Stars, the chairman said it was all about encouragement.
“The staying power has always been the boys, if you get a good mix of players and the right attitude.
The Offa born football administrator also hinted that big payday is ahead for the club after about five offers are already for the players in both domestic elite league and in Europe.
“You also have to let them know that what we are offering is an opportunity, I tell them that if they play well there will be offers from clubs.
“As I speak to you, I have offers from four to five clubs, seeking my players.
“As it stands now, we have to make fresh recruitments because if these boys leave for other clubs, we will have serious problems when the next season begins.
“When we won last year, two of our players left.
“Again, we still managed to win this year making it back to back, it means we are doing something right.
“AMAPRO is good competition, it exposes the players and gives them an opportunity to rub shoulders with quality players”, said Yusuf.
