Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan sweat merchant, Gbenga Ogunbote took time off to speak to the press after his side’s comprehensive 3-0 win over Akwa United of Uyo, in a Matchday 24 encounter played at the Lekan Salami Stadium.
The Oluyole Warriors scored twice early in the first half and once, late in the second half to go four games without a loss.
‘Oracle’ as the gaffer is fondly called, cleared the air on accusations that he abused the fans, just as he expressed his reservations over the current position of his team on the log
Excerpts.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE EMPHATIC WIN OVER AKWA UNITED
Basically it is expected that the team goes out to win, and the essence of our coming out is to come and win and if we do not get it right, it comes the other way round.
Be it as it may, I know that even the players themselves know that this is the second round, there cannot be third round, so it is whatever we acquire now that becomes ours.
We are not comfortable on the league table and the league is still wide open, both at the top and at the bottom. If you slip, you go down, if you get it right, you are up there.
The points secured today are important to us to make us comfortable on the league table.
WE ARE GETTING IT RIGHT TACTICALLY
Tactically, I think we are doing it right. I did say at the end of the first round, I said we can always be better. The only fear I had at the second half of the game was fatigue setting in.
Tomorrow (Monday), we will be on the road again for another two days, play the game on Wednesday, spend another two days on the road.
It is taking a great toll on the team, you can see through the substitutions we made, we were able to add fresh legs in the second half to be able to sustain the game. So I think the boys are really getting it right because they equally want to make history with the club.
BLENDING THE NEW AND OLD PLAYERS
We are trying to manage the situation, the important thing is that they are new and there is no way you can add a whole lot of them into the team at a go.
For the few ones we have registered, I think they are trying their best and we are equally trying our best to see that we blend them together.
ON ABDULLAHI LAWAL’S STUNNING FREE KICK
I was not surprised, I expected it. In fact the first one he took, I told him I was not happy with him because he was supposed to have scored it.
We have a way of playing it and he knows how to do. This is not the first time he is taking it, he took the one that resulted in our goal in Ilorin.
It is not that it came by accident. He is a gifted player and I’m very happy with him and we pray we will see more of it.
TO THE SUPPORTERS AND FANS
I want to sincerely appreciate the fans and the supporters for being with us through thick and thin.
In the previous game, we had misconstruction, people felt I made negative gesture towards them, before this match, I went to them, I greeted them and I want to use this medium to let them know that that cannot happen from a coach of my own caliber.
There is no way I could have made a negative gesture towards the fans. They own the team, we are happy with them, I want to sincerely appreciate them for being with us through thick and thin and I still want them to tolerate us for all errors and challenges because the team is really facing a big challenge.
