Nine time Nigeria League winners, Enyimba, are shrewdly keen to take their haul to ten, and appear not looking back on that set target.

Executive Chairman of the club, Nwankwo Kanu, says the two time African Champions are "determined to retain their crown with a view to make history”.

The FIFA/UNICEF Ambassador, also a former Ajax Amsterdam, Inter Milan of Italy and Arsenal of London Legend made this assertion on Thursday during his visit to the Venue of the Nwankwo Kanu U-19 Tournament at the training pitch of the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri.

Kanu spoke on the NPFL title run as the domestic top flight enters its business end this weekend with resumption of the suspended fixtures.

“It’s going to be tough", Papilo admitted. Not only  Rangers and Enyimba (in the title race). We have others there but the truth is that as it is, Rangers are the favourites but they have to keep going, football is what you can’t really predict or say.

“Our boys are ready, they are keen to win the league. Of course, we are defending champions and we don’t want to let go. We have to do more. I can see in them that they want to make history, in the sense that they are going to win (the title) back to back but it’s going to be difficult. 

"All the same, I feel good about the position where we are and I feel that by God’s grace, we can do it. But let’s cross our fingers”.

When asked about losing the services of Coach Finidi George who is now the Head Coach of the Super Eagles, Kanu said he, (Finidi) will be greatly missed both by the players, the management and the fans but that the team have had similar situations it the past when he (Finidi) went with the Super Eagles to national assignments especially during the 2023 AFCON in Cote d'Ivoire. Kanu further said that the nation needs his services now but that his assistant, Coach Yemi Olarenwaju, will pilot the affairs of the club till the end of the season.

"The management has confidence in him (Olarenwaju) and the rest of the technical crew to finish the job", Kanu summed up.

Enyimba will on Sunday take on their sister side, Abia Warriors in a “God’s Own Derby” or “Oriental Derby” at the Umuahia Township stadium in one of the Match Day 33 fixtures.