After seeing his team’s 21-game unbeaten run come to an end, no thanks to Enyimba FC of Aba, coach of Bendel Insurance of Benin, Monday Odigie, has heaped the blame of his team’s poor performance at the just concluded play-offs to fatigue and injuries.
The Benin Arsenals came into the championship as one of the favourites to win the title having ended the abridged league on top of their Group without dropping a game but where a shadow of themselves at the NPFL Championship Play-offs where they could not win a single game.
But their handler believes that injuries to some of his key players and the hectic league format were to blame for their poor run.
“We came into the competition hopeful that we’ll at least pick one of the continental tickets, but at a stage during the tourney fatigue set in on my players, coupled with the fact that some of them got injured which affected our game plans.
“You know that it was this same set of players that we used throughout the league and Federation Cup matches and they’re human beings and not machines. So at a stage, diminishing returns had to set in which was the problem we faced,” a disappointed Odigie stressed.
He was however optimistic that they will make up the disappointing performance with the Federation Cup finals against Rangers scheduled for Wednesday, June 21 at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, the Delta State Capital.
“Right now, we’ve put the NPFL Championship Play-offs behind us and are now thinking of the Federation Cup finals against Rangers International of Enugu. We know that the Flying Antelopes are a good side but winning that title and booking a place for the CAF Confederation Cup will be a good way to end the season. We are hopeful of achieving that,” he assured.