Warri Wolves handler, Sam Okpodu, has described the ongoing 2015/16 Glo Premier League Super 4 as a preparatory tournament for his team which didn’t have the benefit of any pre-season friendly games.
He said aside preparing the team for the CAF Champions League, the players are also being primed for the 2015/16 Nigeria Professional Football League season.
Addressing the post-match press conference after losing 1-0 to Nasarawa United FC, Okpodu said that the tournament should not be considered a yardstick to measure the capacity of the 2015/2016 Glo Premier League runners-up.
Okpodu said the tournament is offering the team an opportunity to appraise how ready they are for the coming season.
Okpodu, whose captain Goodluck Onamandu bagged red card in the game for two card offenses, noted that his team need to double their effort and work harder to be in top shape ahead of the coming season.
“This Glo Super 4- is a good pre-season test for us, it is a good opportunity for us to further prepare for the coming season for the fact that we will be playing this preseason here in Kaduna and another one in Uyo. The tournament is good but it not a yardstick to measure how good we are but how ready we are for the coming season.”
Speaking about their loss to Nasarawa United, Okpodu lamented the team’s inability to convert their chances. He said that the team played well against Nasarawa United but failed to make good use of their opportunities.
“The opportunities we had we didn’t capitalise. If we scored our goals there would be no challenge for us. It showed that our team still need to work, we would develop and work hard. We would go back and sleep over the performance and prepare for our last match.
“This is the preparation for us going into the continent. This is only a week and half since we resumed from the christmas break and I am confident that by next week we would be much ready. These boys will play anybody, anytime because physical or not our opponents would have to play football.”
