2022/23 NPL: Expect A Formidable Shooting Stars, Says Okoro

The Executive Chairman of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan, Honourable Babatunde Olaniyan Okoro, has assured fans of the club of a formidable squad in the upcoming 2022/23 season.

Speaking moments after the second leg of the U23 AFCON qualifier tie between Nigeria and Tanzania played at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Honourable Olaniyan explained that with the team’s preparation so far, the best of Shooting Stars should be expected.

“I want to assure our teeming fans that we are going to present a squad they will all be proud of.

“For those who have been following us since we started preparing for the season, will agree with me that we are on course towards presenting a very strong side that will be good enough to contend for honours in the upcoming season.

“We have been involved in pre-season tournaments and friendly matches, so far so good, the results have been encouraging and we are not relenting, more friendly matches are still been planned before the season commences”, revealed the former Deputy Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly.

He further added that the strength of the Oluyole Warriors is in the blend of men and boys, describing the appointment of coach Gbenga Ogunbote as a right step in the right direction by the club.

“When you talk of highly rated tacticians in the country, coach Ogunbote is one of them and I can tell you that with what he has done so far, we have made a worthy choice”.

While revealing the major goal of the club in the upcoming season, Akoro, as the retired referee is popularly called said the team aims to qualify for the continental contest.

“We will do all we can to ensure that we pick one of the continental slots. I’m just appealing to our fans to believe in us and we will not let them down”, stated the 3SC boss.

On the victory of the Olympic Eagles over their Tanzanian counterparts in the U-23 AFCON qualifier, Olaniyan attributed it to tactical changes made in the second half by the Nigerian bench.

“We were able to get the job done because we made changes in the second half and because we were able to cage them from scoring first.

“The results notwithstanding, the Tanzanian were not bad, but stopping them from scoring first was what helped our team because allowing them to do that would have been disastrous,” he said.