A delegation of 40 players, technical crew and backroom staff of the Rangers International F.C of Enugu arrived Abakaliki yesterday for a one-week closed camping exercise to fine tune the squad ahead of the start of the 2020/2021 NPFL season.
The Flying Antelopes technical crew is led by former Super Eagles assistant coach, Salisu Yusuf.
Yusuf expressed optimism ahead of the season while describing the camping exercise in Abakaliki as one that will enable him and his assistants to have a closer look at the players that will defend the colours of the club as they target a double in the coming season.
“Sincerely, with what I have seen of the players since we resumed, I believe we can make our fans very happy at the end of the season. As we go for the one-week closed camping in Abakaliki, it will give us ample opportunity to do the finishing torches to the team we are building to fly our flag very high,” said the vastly experienced gaffer.
Captain of the Enugu side, Tope Olusesi said, “the pre-season will continue in Abakaliki and I believe it will give the players enough time to create the understanding needed to challenge for both the Aiteo and league trophies in the coming season.”
While in the ‘Rice City’, Abakaliki, Rangers will play friendlies with fellow NPFL side, Dakkada FC expected to be one of the teams.
Twenty-seven players were retained with additional 10 new faces in the Flying Antelopes for the closed camping. Former Dakkada players, Femi Ajayi and Esor Achibong are leading the resurgent ‘Antelopes’ while reliable like Osas Okoro, Ibrahim Olawoyin, Tony Shimaga and Israel Abia are leading players retained.
According to the fixtures of the new NPFL season, Rangers will be making a road trip to Port-Harcourt for a date with Rivers United in a match day 1 fixture before coming back to the Coal-City to play host to Akwa United F.C of Uyo a week later.
