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Arguably
one of the most successful clubs in the country, Enyimba International
of Aba will today begin their quest for a record seventh League title
as the 2010/11 Nigeria Premier League (NPL) season finally gets
underway.

The Peoples’
Elephant will be up against Ocean Boys of Yenegoa in one of today’s
interesting fixtures and for Coach Okey Emordi, his team cannot afford
to start on a wrong footing.

“First and
foremost, I must say I am very glad that the league has finally begun
after suffering series of postponement. For us every match is important
and that is why we will be taking today’s match very serious. We have a
target of doing well in all the competitions that we will be playing in
this season and we are ready to meet that target,” he said.

Emordi is one of
the coaches who have won several laurels for Enyimba with the peak
performance being a CAF Champions League crown in 2004, which in turn
fetched him the continent’s best coach award.

Gunning for the treble

Enyimba will be
campaigning on three fronts; the Nigeria Premier League (NPL), the
Federations’ Cup and the CAF Champions’ League, this season.

Already the club
has shown signs of what to expect this season after adding the 2010
Charity Cup title to its growing list of honours recently. Enyimba
defeated Federation Cup Champions, Kaduna United, 4-2 on penalties, to
lift the season’s opening trophy.

Aware of the
daunting task ahead, the head, media and publicity of Enyimba, Tonnex
Chukwu, said the team has beefed up its squad with both young and
experienced players to continue the tradition of winning trophies.

“Enyimba has a
tradition of getting the best legs in the country. At the end of each
season, we beef up the squad and make the necessary changes in the
perceived areas of weakness and this season was no different.

“We have made a
number of signings who will help us continue our tradition of winning
titles and trophies. The season is a long one and we know we need a
very solid squad to effectively challenge for honours in the coming
season,” he said.

A better finish

Ocean Boys on their
part will be attempting to better their 14th place finish last season
in the league. Their last visit to Aba ended in a 2-1 defeat.

Already, one of the
clubs’ new signing, Andrew Michael has been picked as one of the ten
players to look out for in the new season. Michael, 19, is strong and
speedy on and off the ball and can also shoot with both feet. League
experts have predicted that he could finally break the duck at Ocean
Boys this season.

South West Derby

In other matches,
the ancient city of Ibadan will be aglow with action as local rivals,
Shooting Stars of Ibadan and Sunshine Stars of Akure go head to head in
the South West derby at the Liberty Stadium.

Already, both teams
have a score to settle as the Akure based team edged out 3SC 1-0 in a
pre-season tournament held last week in Ijebu Ode and the Sunshine Boys
went on to lift the trophy at stake.

While 3SC coach,
Fatai Amoo has played down the defeat in Ijebu Ode, he said his boys
have learned from their mistakes and will be all out for the three
points today. 3SC defeated Sunshine 2-0 in the corresponding fixture
last season.

Hence, Amoo
reaffirmed his confidence in the ability of the Oluyole Warriors not
only to repeat the feat but to also clinch at least a continental
ticket at the end of this season.

“The club’s
preparation for the season have been thorough and painstaking, the
frequent postponements of the league have also helped us to play many
grade ‘A’ friendly matches like the South West tourney that just ended,
which gave us the ample opportunity to test new players during the
screening exercise. I can assure our fans that Shooting will favourably
compete with all top teams in the Premier League and come out with good
results,” the former assistant Super Eagles coach said.

Last time out in
the league, it was contrasting fortunes for both teams; while the going
was good for Sunshine Stars who finished third in the league, earning
their first continental ticket to the Confederations Cup competition,
Shooting Stars were battling relegation for the better part of the
season with Amoo coming in to finally rescue the team.

This time around the chairman of the club, Joseph Ladipo, has promised the teeming fans of the club a good outing.

Ladipo commended
the efforts and cooperation of the Oyo State Governor, Adebayo
Alao-Akala, towards the club, describing him as number one supporter of
Shooting Stars.

League newcomers

In other fixtures,
Premier League newcomers, Bukola Babes of Kwara, Crown FC of Ogbomoso
and JUTH FC will be hoping to get their campaign in the top flight off
to fine starts.

Of the lot, only
Bukola Babes will be playing at home as they host Zamfara United at the
newly approved Offa Township Stadium. Bukola Babes have revealed that
they will get their Nigerian Premier League debut underway with 29
players.

“We are aware that
the NPL rules guarantees each team a maximum of 35 players but we just
want to be modest and careful about it all.” the Manager of the newly
promoted side, Alloy Chukwuemeka, said.

“That is why we
want to start off with 29 players whose registration formalities we
have completed. We will make up the required number as the season goes
on, and by the time the tear and wear sets in.”

Not just making up numbers

The Bukola Babes
team manager added that the club is not in the top flight to make the
numbers. “That we are new in the Premier League does not make us
inferior or less ambitious.

“We are not here
just to make up the number. We really mean business as the only
privately owned and sponsored club in the Premier League,” he said.

Other matches

In the other games,
JUTH FC will be away to Port-Harcourt to face Sharks FC, The Plateau
State-based team is returning to the top-flight division in Nigeria
after they were relegated two seasons ago. The team has retained 21
players from the squad that helped it gain promotion last season. It
signed twelve more players to beef up the squad.

The last of the
newly promoted sides; Crown of Ogbomosho will travel to Minna to face,
Niger Tornadoes in another newly approved stadium; Bako Kotangora
Stadium in Minna.

Though the league
is starting out without a title sponsor, the new NPL board has promised
that tremendous improvements will be seen in the league this year. The
board said it will not condone any act of hooliganisms while reassuring
players that their welfare will be adequately protected.

According to the fixtures released by the NPL, the season is meant to be concluded on June 12, 2011.