By Amaechi Agbo

As the League Management Company, LMC continues to ponder on the best possible way to end the 2019/2020 Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL with available four option, former Akwa United coach, John Obuh has offered explanations on why the league cannot be cancelled, Bestchoicesports.com.ng reports/

Speaking in an exclusive interview, the former U-20 male national team coach opined that given the situation of the league table, the league managers cannot terminate the league as some African countries have done.

No fewer than nine African countries have cancelled their leagues following the ravaging impact of the novel coronavirus that has disrupted social and economic activities across the globe.

Consequent upon the virus spreading into Nigeria in March, the Nigeria Football Federation suspended indefinitely all football activities in the country.

However with Europeans countries starting their leagues and others underway, the LMC said last week that it had four option to end the league including using Point Per Game, PPG, going for a super 6 to determine the winner and CAF competitions representatives of outright cancellation.

Speaking on the development, Coach Obuh said that the situation with NPFL visa vis other leagues is not the same.

He noted that the LMC cannot cancel the league when all the teams have not played equal number of games. Thus he said will make it difficult for the league organisers to determine the winner and the continental representatives.

“Why ours is a difficult thing, if I want to advise on the cancellation, is because the number of games that are supposed to be played by all the clubs are not the same. I mean, clubs have not played equal games. I think Enyimba has about five games to play, Rangers have about two games.

“Had it been that it was a situation where one or two matches are outstanding, one can understand. So because of the fact that Enyimba will still have to play the remaining games to meet up with others on the number of matches played, and if that is the case, there could be possibility of them winning the league.

“So it becomes very difficult for you to say when some clubs have not finished playing the number of matches others have played, then you cancel the league and promote somebody who has played the whole of the games,” he said.

Coach Obuh who won the FIFA U-17 World Cup with the Golden Eaglets advised the LMC to try as much as they can to look at the situation critically. He noted that if politics in a place like Edo state and others where INEC is insisting that they must carry out their election which is more serious situation than football because of the social distancing, then the league should be concluded

He further noted that if INEC could go ahead with elections in Edo and Ondo states, then it means that football can also be played.

“The highest thing LMC can do is not to allow spectators into the field. Or if the stadium is a capacity of 5000, then you allow 500 fans in and shut the gate so that those inside can watch the game still observing social distance.

“LMC has said that they are going to test all the players and officials to make sure that none of them is a carrier of the virus. So if they also do that, I think they should allow the league to go ahead because it is almost over.”