“I PROVED A POINT” — DEUTSCH DELIVERS ENYIMBA SAFETY ON FINAL DAY

Head Coach Emmanuel Deutsch says he has ‘proved a point’ by guiding Enyimba to safety in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) on the last day of the just-concluded season.

A first half brace from veteran winger Stanley Dimgba and a late goal by Uwana Asuquo helped the 2-time African champions thrash El Kanemi Warriors 3-0 to finish 11th on the standings, with 49 points. and maintain their topflight status.

Following the Club’s struggles in the second stanza of the campaign, the Cameroon-born tactician consistently maintained that the People’s Elephant will not go down, and Sunday’s result before a passionate home crowd guaranteed that.

An unlikely loss to the Desert Warriors, would have seen Enymba relegated for the first time in about 30 years.

“It’s a pleasure for all the Abians because everybody was scared about this match,” the experienced gaffer said. “I told people that Enyimba cannot be relegated (under my watch). There’s happiness for the fans and the people of Abia State.

“I thank God for those that brought me to Enyimba. I think I have proved a point when I said it from the beginning that ‘Enyimba cannot be relegated, and at the end of the season, Enyimba didn’t go down. I think I deserve the credit.”

After a turbulent campaign in the NPFL, attention will now shift to the President’s Federation Cup, where the 4-time winners of the competition will face Gombe United in the Round of 32.

To make amends after a disappointing NPFL season, Deutsch says he is targeting a good outing in the Federation Cup.

“In the President’s Federation Cup, we’ll try our best to go far, but if we don’t, the best thing is to remain in the NPFL, which we already achieved,” he stated.

“The Federation Cup is a knockout competition, it’s not a league. It is open for everybody. We will try and see what we can do, and wherever we stop, we’ll give glory to God. That’s football.”