Exclusive: Godwin Enakhena Reveals What Went Wrong At Relegated Sporting Lagos, Says Players Are Free To Go

Sporting Lagos was arguably the most exciting thing to happen in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) during the 2023-2024 season as the colourful club came into the elite league with a completely different approach to how a professional football club should be run, and of course, most football lovers in Lagos loved it.

The way Sporting Lagos landed in the NPFL last season, one would find it difficult to believe that the club was just 18 months old before they gained promotion to the elite division.

Even from the Nigeria National League (NNL) in 2023, the club had already made themselves fans’ favourites within Lagos and that escalated in their debut campaign in the NPFL (2023-2024 season).

The professionalism with which they organized their matchdays and the quality of their performances on the pitch quickly made them a household name in the league in no time as their home ground, Onikan Stadium, never lacked spectators during their home games.

When Naija News asked the chairman of the club, Godwin Enakhena, about the idea behind setting up Sporting Lagos, he said: “Sporting Lagos is a generational club that was set up as a platform for talented players to develop, compete and earn a decent living. And of course, to do the business of football the right way, with match-day bliss for the fans who are the major stakeholders in the game.”

And then, things went south: 

Like they say, nothing good lasts forever, but in the case of Sporting Lagos, their fairytale run lasted shorter than expected. They enjoyed the aforementioned funfair mostly in the first half of the campaign as the second half of the 2023-2024 NPFL season became almost a different ball game for the then-burgeoning side. Sporting began to lose games they should have won and drop points they should have guarded with everything they got.

The poor run of games forced the management of the Lagos-based side to let go of coach Paul Offor who led their promotion to the NPFL. Offor left the club when they were in the 11th spot on the league table after matchday 30 with a big chance of still retaining their status as an NPFL side.

Hence, the club’s board, led by Enakhena, decided to bring on a veteran tactician, Abdullahi Biffo, to steer the sinking ship. Unfortunately for the former Katsina United and Kwara United coach, things got even worse in his hands. Sporting, with all the razzmatazz, were relegated from the NPFL in their debut campaign.

When Naija News asked Godwin Enakhena what went wrong that Sporting Lagos couldn’t live up to the expectation, he noted, “…I said at the start of the season that our projection was to become champions. What we got wrong was our recruitment of players from the get-go. The good thing is that Rome wasn’t built in a day; useful lessons were learned that will guide us in this journey.”

On the lessons he as the chairman, learnt from their failed NPFL campaign, he added: “That wars are fought and won with the right ammunition and experienced leaders on and off the pitch. It’s good to have youthful players but plant people with the right experience around them in the right positions.”

Life After NPFL Adventure For Sporting Lagos

Days after Sporting Lagos were relegated, the club assured their fans via their X page that they intend to return to the elite league as soon as possible. But doing that entails a lot, especially in terms of recruiting the right set of players with the right mentality.

The club’s chairman told Naija News that the aforementioned is what the focus of the side will be as they prepare for life in the Nigeria National League (NNL) and push for an immediate return to the elite division.

When asked what the plan is for Sporting to return to the NPFL in a record time, Enakhena said: “Getting the right personnel on and off the pitch, experienced players who are still at the top of their game with a blend of youthful zest. And the incentives at Sporting Lagos are mouthwatering to be resisted by even the best players in Nigeria.”

In their debut season, Sporting Lagos showcased some of the finest players in the league some of whom have made themselves fans favourites in a record time. The likes of Jonathan Alukwu, Godwin Odibo, Junior Lokosa, the club’s captain Vincent Akpikpi, and a host of others made their marks last season and will be certainly hard to keep now that their side will be playing in the NNL.

Jonathan Alukwu who seems to be one of the biggest standout players of the club throughout last season and even won the club’s best player of the season might be among the first to land himself a greener pasture elsewhere.

So, it is going to be a battle on many fronts for the club’s management especially in terms of keeping their best legs as they hunt for new additionals that will help them fight for their return to the NPFL.

Amid that, Enakhena told Naija News that no player would be held back in pursuing or accepting better offers while noting that no decision has been made in terms of the club’s coaching crew led by coach Abdullahi Biffo.

He said: “We don’t hold down any player, and the first thing I told them was that they should go for better offers because we understand human nature which comes with ambition. But what’s certain is that we’ll make an effort to keep our best legs. Like I said before, we’re going for youth and experience.”

He added: “A decision on the coaching will be made soon and you’ll be one of the first to know.”

To the fans of Sporting Lagos, Godwin Enakhena said: “We appreciate them for the wonderful support from the start which we don’t take for granted. The promise is that they should stick with us because better days are ahead.
Let’s Go Sporting!!!”