ABRIDGED NPFL OR NOT – Club Owners ‘Selfish’, ‘Shameless’ Blasts Austin Popo

Players’ union chieftain Austin Popo has lampooned the Club Owners of the NPFL for being selfish and without shame going by their opposition to an abridged format for the new league season.

This is against the backdrop that the clubs have rejected a proposal by the league organisers IMC for the new NPFL season billed to start on January 8, 2023, to be played on an abridged format.

“The Club Owners have been part of the problem all along,” berated Popo.

“What use is a league to the players which can’t align with the rest of world thereby causing great disadvantage to their careers?

“The clubs are kicking against the abridged league for selfish reasons and should bury their heads in shame.”

Popo said the IMC should get across to the State Governments that finance these clubs and appointed these so-called Club Owners to let them know why it is imperative the new season be played on an abridged format.

He said: “I have always said that it is difficult to put a new wine in an old bottle without spilling its content.

“Let the NFF and the IMC reach out to the real owners of the clubs the state governments, the employers of the managers kicking against positive changes.

“We must gradually and systematically start moving from govt owed clubs to individuals and community ownership football clubs like you have in Germany under the 50+1 ownership structure policy and the Spanish membership models.

“Enough is Enough.

“When Covid came, the game witnessed a lot of new innovations to keep it going, so what is the big deal in an abridged league that the so-called Club Owners are kicking.against. Must we always stand against the path of progress? Has it not happened before?

“We must all support every initiative put in place to move the game forward.”