FIVE Of The Biggest Talking Points Of The 2015 NPFL Season

Ahead of the final match day of the 2015 NPFL season, Naij.com sports highlights the biggest talking points from a record breaking season.

 Sunshine’s stuttering form in the second stanza: Sunshine stars seemed like the outright favorites to win the league. Come July they were top of the league and even named the best team of the first stanza. Others like Warri Wolves, Enyimba, (Hartland at a point), Wikki Tourist were merely in awe as the Owena babes attractive style of football yielded goals galore for the likes of Tunde Adeniji.

As the second stanza began, Sunshine started having cracks in the team and Kennedy Boboye’s men could finish as low as sixth on the table.

Sunshine Stars of Akure were top of the NPFL

Barring the 5 – 0 win over El-Kanemi warriors (which was their biggest win at home), the Owena babes couldn’t cope with the pressure of top challenging for the top honours.

The likes of Paul Onobi, Prince Aggreh, Dayo Ojo have been solid and sometimes spectacular,Sunshine have a way of shooting themselves in the leg.

The frustration got to the fans who were unruly in match day 35 in the game against Bayelsa United which led to a stadium ban on the club.

What happened to Kano Pillars?: Kano Pillars won three consecutive NPFL titles between 2012 and 2014 and did so in some style.

This season has been abysmal for the former champions who dropped too many points on the road and lost at home for the first time in 200 matches this season in a 1 – 2 defeat to Nasarawa United on match day 25.

While Sunshine cannot be regarded as a traditional power house in the NPFL, KanoPillars have been building a good history for the best part of the last 20 years and have 4 titles to their name.

Kano Pillars suffers first home defeat in 12 years

While it can be argued that the likes of Shehu Adullahi were not adequately replaced, the likes of Rabiu Ali did enough to suggest that Sai Masu Gida can be a force to reckin with next year.

Scoring exploits of Salami, Tunde Adeniji, Igbinoba, Chikatara: It is unlikely that anyone will reach the 20 goal mark this season but the likes of Gbolahan Salami, Adeniji,Chikatara, Igbinoba have provided some of the fiercest challenges for the Rashidi Yekini top scorer award.

Tunde Adeniji

This is the first time in a long time that four players could win the top scorer award. Igbinoba has the lead with 15 goals, the other three have fourteen goals each.

Gbolahan Salami

Adeniji has the advantage because of Sunshine Stars outstanding match against FC Taraba. The others have just one more match to play.

Who will win the top scorer award?

Player wages:  One issue always raised in Nigeria is the issue of wages. FC Taraba, Warri Wolves, Giwa FC are just some of the clubs who owed their players months of salaries.

The situation at FC Taraba got so bad the state government had to interfere.

Some clubs however do not owe salaries or very very prompt in payment. Ifeanyi Ubah FC is one such club. players who spoke with Naij.com claim they get paid as early as possible and have never had cause to lament unpaid wages.

Abia Warriors star, BAshir Sheriff who spoke with Naij.com said: “We always get paid as soon as possible. We do not have cause to wait for our salaries. It is because i play for the club but I have to say the Abia state govenment is doing a good job in running the affairs of Abia warriors and Enyimba international.”

Fan turnout/behaviour at every match: The behaviour of fansthis season was better compared to last season but still there were instances when unruly fans became the order of the day. Recently, the League Management Company (LMC) was forced to place a stadium ban on Sunshine stars for their unruly behaviour in match day 35 clash against Lobi stars.

The turnout of supporters throughout the season was huge and great. The turnout for fans was reminiscent of the Premier league in the early nineties.

Sunshine stars Vs Taraba FC

The crowd at the Aba Township stadium is massive

Even under the rain, fans still want to turn  up

Fans at the Ifeanyi Ubah vs Heartland match

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