2010–11 Nigeria Premier League

The 2010–11 Nigeria Premier League was the 40th season of the competition since its inception, and the 21st since the rebranding of the league as the "Professional League". Enyimba International were the defending champions.

Nigeria Premier League
Season2010–11
ChampionsDolphins
RelegatedPlateau United, Zamfara United, Crown F.C., JUTH F.C.
2012 CAF Champions LeagueDolphins
Sunshine Stars
2012 CAF Confederation CupWarri Wolves
Heartland (cup winner)
Matches played380
Goals scored786 (2.07 per match)
Top goalscorerJude Aneke - Kaduna United (20)
Biggest home winPlateau United 7-0 vs Kwara United (23 Oct. 2011)
Biggest away winKwara United 2-0 at JUTH (11 Dec. 2010)
Sharks F.C. 3-1 at Crown F.C. (2 November 2011)
Highest scoringEnugu Rangers 5, Ocean Boys 2 (21 Nov. 2010)
Sharks 4, Crown 3 (26 Feb. 2011)
Plateau United 7-0 vs Kwara United (23 Oct. 2011)
Longest winning runDolphins - 5 games from 22 Dec. 2010 to 22 Jan. 2011
Longest unbeaten run8 games: Bukola Babes (6 wins, 2 ties) from 22 Dec. to 16 Feb.
Longest winless run9 games: Plateau United (3 ties, 6 losses) from 23 Dec. to 20 Feb.
Longest losing runCrown - 5 games from 22 Dec. to 23 Jan.
Highest attendance26,000: Enyimba at K. Pillars
11 Dec. 2010
2012

The season was originally supposed to start 25 September, then was delayed to 2 October. However after a series of meetings and threatened lawsuits, the league announced that it would play with 24 teams, including the four teams relegated from the previous season. The tentative compromise plans included two divisions of 12 teams each with the top two making the season-ending Super Four, mirroring the league's format in the 2006 and 2007 seasons. This idea was canceled by the NPL on October 7 and the league returned to 20 teams for the season.

The season was delayed again to start the weekend of 23 October,[1] and delayed yet again to 6 November because of issues with the assignment of referees.Due to enforcement of minimum pitch standards, several teams have been made to play in different stadiums outside their home cities.

The second half of the season began 11 May after a six-week break, including two delays for national elections. The season was finished on 13 November 2011 after another six-week delay to allow for the Federation Cup and teams playing on the continent to concentrate on their fixtures.

Clubs edit

Team nameHome cityHome venueFirst year of current stint in League
Bukola BabesIlorinKwara State Stadium/Tafawa Balewa Stadium[2]2010
Crown FCOgbomoshoIlaro Stadium2010
DolphinsPort HarcourtLiberation Stadium2009
Enugu RangersEnuguNnamdi Azikiwe Stadium1973
EnyimbaAbaEnyimba International Stadium1994
Gombe UnitedGombeAbubarkar Tafawa Balewa Stadium/Pantami Stadium1994
HeartlandOwerriDan Anyiam Stadium/U.J. Esuene Stadium1975
JUTH F.C.JosRwang Pam Stadium/Kaduna Township Stadium2010
Kaduna UnitedKadunaKaduna Township Stadium2008
Kano PillarsKanoSani Abacha Stadium2001
Kwara UnitedIlorinKwara State Stadium/Offa Stadium/MKO Abiola Stadium2009
Lobi StarsMakurdiJalingo City Stadium/Aper Aku Stadium1999
Niger TornadoesMinnaMinna Township Stadium[3]2003
Ocean BoysBrassSamson Siasia Stadium2006
Plateau UnitedJosRwang Pam Stadium/Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium2010
SharksPort HarcourtSharks Stadium2008
Shooting StarsIbadanMKO Abiola Stadium/Liberty Stadium2009
Sunshine StarsAkureGateway Stadium (Ijebu Ode)2007
Warri WolvesWarriWarri Township Stadium2008
Zamfara UnitedGusauSardauna Memorial Stadium/Sani Abacha Stadium2007

League table edit

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification or relegation
1Dolphins (C)38234114930+1973Qualification for 2012 CAF Champions League
2Sunshine Stars38225115535+2071
3Warri Wolves38199104429+1566Qualification for 2012 CAF Confederation Cup
4Kano Pillars38205134631+1565Qualification for WAFU Club Championship
5Sharks38171294337+663
6Enugu Rangers38195144730+1762
7Enyimba38194154428+1661
8Kaduna United38168144240+256
9Kwara United38165174045−553
10Lobi Stars38158153440−653
11Heartland38164183935+452Qualification for 2012 CAF Confederation Cup
12Bukola Babes38156173537−251
13Gombe United38148163437−350
14Niger Tornadoes381311143543−850
15Shooting Stars38138173439−547
16Ocean Boys38138173744−747
17Plateau United (R)38128184249−744Relegated to Nigeria National League
18Zamfara United (R)38116212658−3239
19Crown (R)38114233448−1437
20JUTH F.C. (R)3888222651−2532
Updated to match(es) played on 13 November 2011. Source: Nigeria Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

Personnel and kits edit

TeamManagerCaptainKit MakersSponsor
Bukola Babes Kabiru Sulaiman Abubakar Yusuf
Crown FC Oladunni Oyekale Johnson Abiodun
Dolphins Stanley Eguma Emmanuel Godwin
Enugu Rangers Alphonsus Dike Austin Iyangbe
Enyimba Okey Emordi Okechukwu OditaJoma
Gombe United Bernard Ogbe
Heartland Lodewijk de Kruif Chinedu Efugh
JUTH F.C. Emmanuel Deutsch
Kaduna United Maurice Cooreman Papa Idris
Kano Pillars Ladan Bosso
Kwara United Kadiri Ikhana
Lobi Stars John Zaki
Niger Tornadoes Justin Tenger Kelvin Njoku
Ocean Boys Samson Unuanel
Plateau United Nduka Ndubuisi Ajibade Omolade
Sharks John Obuh Odinga Odinga
Shooting Stars Fatai Amoo Shakiru LawalOWU Sportswear
Sunshine Stars Gbenga Ogunbote James Moses
Warri Wolves Paul Aigbogun Goodluck NnamaduLottoOceanic Bank
Zamfara United Bello Garba Gusau

News edit

  • December 12- Ocean Boys defender Emmanuel Okoli collapsed 39 minutes into a game vs. Niger Tornadoes and died en route to the hospital.
  • December 16- The league was named the "MTN Premier League" after the NFF secured sponsorship from the MTN Group.[4] However sponsorship was rescinded January 27 and the bidding was reopened.[5]
  • January 8- In Abeokuta, Shooting Stars and Tornadoes played the first night game in Nigeria's top division in twenty-nine years.
  • Due to unrest in the city of Jos, on January 13 JUTH announced they were moving home games to Kaduna and Plateau United were going to play in Enugu for one month.

Managerial (head coach) changes edit

TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyIncoming managerDate of appointment
Warri WolvesLawrence Akpokonafiredend of 2009-10 season Paul Aigbogun2 September 2010
Kwara United Justin Tengerfiredend of 2009-10 season Kadiri Ikhana17 July 2010[6]
Sunshine StarsSolomon OgbeidefiredAug. 18 2010 Gbenga OgunboteAug. 18 2010[7]
Gombe UnitedBen DuamlongResignedOct.8 2010 Bernard OgbeNov. 5 2010[8]
Heartland Samson Siasiaresigned to take Super Eagles jobDec. 1 2010 Lodewijk de KruifFeb. 7 2011
Niger Tornadoes Ladan BossofiredNov. 26 2010 Samson Unuanel (interim)Nov. 26 2010
Crown F.C.Ganiyu SalamifiredJan. 22 2011 Oladunni OyekaleJan. 22 2011
Kano Pillars F.C.Salisu Yusufresigned to become Super Eagles assistantJan. 1 2011 Ladan Bosso[9]Jan. 23 2011
Niger Tornadoes Samson Unuanelinterim period endsFeb. 6 2011 Justin Tenger

[10]

Feb. 6 2011
JUTH F.C.Tunde AbdulrahmanfiredFeb. 17 2011 Emmanuel DeutschFeb. 28 2011
Ocean Boys F.C.Larry EcelifiredMay 20, 2011 Samson Unuanel

[11]

May 20, 2011
Bukola Babes F.C.Festus Allensuspended/resignedJune 8, 2011 Kabiru Sulaiman

[12]

June 8, 2011

References edit

  1. ^ NPL kicks off October 23 with record 24 clubs
  2. ^ "Bukola_Babes_pick_Bauchi_as_new_home". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
  3. ^ "Niger moves to avert Tornadoes' relocation". Archived from the original on 2010-12-28. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
  4. ^ MTN win NPL sponsorship rights
  5. ^ "MTN no longer league sponsor". Archived from the original on 2011-01-31. Retrieved 2011-01-29.
  6. ^ Kwara United To Unveil Ikhana As New Coach
  7. ^ "Sunshine sacks Ogbeide (Tribune)". Archived from the original on 2010-08-21. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
  8. ^ "Bernard Ogbe joins Gombe United". Archived from the original on 2011-09-10. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
  9. ^ "Bosso joins Pillars in Benin". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2011-01-26.
  10. ^ [1][permanent dead link]
  11. ^ Ocean Boys sack Eceli
  12. ^ Bukola suspend coach Allen

External links edit