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By Abiodun Adewale
As the anticipated novelty match between PUNCH Newspapers and the Media Amalgamated team – which comprises journalists from other newspaper houses in the country – approaches, the coalition of opponents have fired a warning of spoiling their hosts party when they clash at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos to mark the 50th anniversary of The PUNCH Newspapers February 24.
A team of selected journalists from Tribune, Nation, Vanguard, ThisDay, Telegraph, Leadership and The Guardian newspapers form the Media Amalgamated are coached by former Super Eagles forward and bronze medallist at the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations, Victor Agali.
Although they are yet to have any training session as a team, one of the players of the Media Amalgamated team, Niyi Alesbiosu of Tribune, is confident their team won’t lack cohesion against the PUNCHERS.
“I won’t reveal our strategy but we are looking forward to a good match. The technical director is in charge and has given us the mandate to intensify personal training ahead of the match,” Alebiosu told our correspondent.
“Our handler will give us further information about our training and I can assure you that we are going to flog PUNCHERS, not minding that they are the celebrants. We are not amateurs, we are battle ready and cohesion won’t be a problem. It’s just about putting our tactics together.
“We are sending a strong warning to the PUNCHERS to be ready for a harvest of goals,” Alebiosu added.
Meanwhile, the PUNCHERS had their first training session on Wednesday ahead of the game, which comes up in 10 days’ time.
Head coach of the PUNCHERS and 1992 AFCON bronze medallist, Friday Expo, drilled over 30 players in an intensive session at the football pitch of the Mountain Top University along the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, Magboro, Ogun State.
The novelty match marks the commencement of an array of epoch-making activities for the 50th anniversary celebration of Nigeria’s most read newspaper.