The Chairman of Akwa United Football Club, Elder Paul Bassey has revealed that the ‘Promise Keepers’ signed 15 new players to bolster the quality of the squad in a chat.
He stated this in a chat while responding to the possibility of the players fully getting to understand one another better with less than four days to the kickoff of the 2019/20 Nigeria Professional Football League.
The renowned sports journalist turned club administrator said the players were not signed to take over from the established first team players but to act as cover as well as fight for starting shirts.
“Every season you recruit 35 players, along the line, you use a maximum of 20. You know there is what we call the first team. When you have 20 players playing for you regularly, that team is on ground and fixed.
“You have 15 other players who can’t play due to injuries or can’t make the team, you place them on the transfer market.
“So because of the purpose of registration and to beef up the team, you go to the transfer market to replace them.
“Our first team is there but we needed people to fight for shirts, give the first team players competition.
If the league had started in September, I would have fielded 18 players without issues. Recruiting 15 players will not destabilize my team,” he said.
He further revealed why it is difficult for other clubs to get players from the two-time Aiteo Cup winners.
“Our welfare is second to none but this year, only one of our players left for Enyimba to play Champions League and he left with our blessings,” he said.
It will be recalled that the club unveiled former Golden Eaglets coach John Obuh alongside the15 players ahead of the coming season.
The 15 new players unveiled by Akwa United are Dare Ojo, Akarandut Orok, Samuel Mathias, Ifeanyi Ifeanyi, Philip David, Itodo Ako, Sampson Gbadebo, Ekemini Ukoebe, Bassey Akpan, Christian Ekong, Maurice Chukwu, Adewale Adeyinka, Ali Chiwendu, Ubong Friday and Michael Ohanu.
