2014 Nigeria Professional Football League
Champions | Kano Pillars |
---|---|
Relegated | Nembe City, Crown, Kaduna United, Gombe United |
Champions League | Kano Pillars, Enyimba International |
Confederation Cup | Warri Wolves |
Matches played | 380 |
Goals scored | 836 (2.2 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Mfon Udoh (Enyimba F.C.)- 23 |
Biggest home win | Gombe United 6, Nembe City 0 (8 May) Dolphins 6, Nembe City 0 (22 Oct.) |
Biggest away win | Nembe City 0, Giwa 4 (16 Nov.) |
Highest scoring | Warri Wolves 7, Crown 1 (22 Oct.) |
Longest unbeaten run | Sharks F.C. – 10 games (19 April to 1 June) |
← 2013 2015 → |
The 2014 Nigeria Professional Football League was the 43rd season of the competition since its inception, and the 24th since the rebranding of the league as the "Professional League". The season was scheduled to kick off on November 22, about one month after the conclusion of the 2013 season.[1] However, on that date the league's start was postponed to mid-February until after the 2014 African Nations Championship and to allow the teams to complete all their FIFA licensing.[2] It was delayed again until March.
Clubs
[edit]Sixteen teams from the previous season and four teams promoted from the Nigeria National League (Crown F.C., Giwa FC, Taraba F.C. and Abia Warriors F.C.) are participating in this season. With Abia Warriors debuting it means the Abia State derby with Enyimba will feature at the highest level of Nigerian football for the first time.
Table
[edit]Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kano Pillars (C) | 38 | 19 | 8 | 11 | 57 | 41 | +16 | 65 | Qualification for 2015 CAF Champions League |
2 | Enyimba (Q) | 38 | 18 | 10 | 10 | 50 | 27 | +23 | 64 | |
3 | Warri Wolves (Q) | 38 | 18 | 7 | 13 | 49 | 38 | +11 | 61 | Qualification for 2015 CAF Confederation Cup |
4 | Giwa | 38 | 17 | 9 | 12 | 44 | 34 | +10 | 60 | |
5 | Nasarawa United | 38 | 17 | 8 | 13 | 43 | 37 | +6 | 59 | |
6 | Lobi Stars | 38 | 19 | 2 | 17 | 40 | 46 | −6 | 59 | |
7 | Abia Warriors | 38 | 17 | 7 | 14 | 51 | 40 | +11 | 58 | |
8 | Enugu Rangers | 38 | 17 | 7 | 14 | 45 | 37 | +8 | 58 | |
9 | Dolphins | 38 | 15 | 10 | 13 | 45 | 34 | +11 | 55 | |
10 | Heartland | 38 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 36 | 27 | +9 | 55 | |
11 | Sunshine Stars | 38 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 51 | 47 | +4 | 54 | |
12 | Taraba | 38 | 16 | 5 | 17 | 35 | 41 | −6 | 53 | |
13 | Sharks | 38 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 42 | 39 | +3 | 52 | |
14 | El-Kanemi Warriors | 38 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 43 | 35 | +8 | 51 | |
15 | Bayelsa United | 38 | 16 | 3 | 19 | 50 | 54 | −4 | 51 | |
16 | Akwa United | 38 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 27 | 34 | −7 | 51 | |
17 | Gombe United (R) | 38 | 14 | 8 | 16 | 42 | 41 | +1 | 50 | Relegated to Nigeria National League |
18 | Crown (R) | 38 | 11 | 6 | 21 | 30 | 56 | −26 | 39 | |
19 | Kaduna United (R) | 38 | 11 | 5 | 22 | 33 | 55 | −22 | 38 | |
20 | Nembe City (R) | 38 | 6 | 10 | 22 | 23 | 73 | −50 | 28 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (Q) Qualified for the phase indicated; (R) Relegated
News
[edit]- - On February 21, Sunshine Stars F.C. was involved in an accident on the road between Ijebu-Ode and Akure. Five players and the team masseur went to the hospital with serious injuries. However, nobody was killed.[3]
- - On the eve of the league start, Giwa F.C. and Nembe City (the last two Nigeria National League champions and the league's only two privately funded clubs) were withdrawn from league fixtures by the LMC for failing to provide guarantees of the minimum salary for players, leaving the league at 18 teams.[4] Both teams appealed to be reinstated on March 20. Giwa was admitted back on the 2nd of April and Nembe City was readmitted the next day.[5][6]
- - After the Week 1 games, Abia Warriors refused to travel to Maiduguri to play El-Kanemi Warriors, citing fears for safety after recent Boko Haram attacks. The league then refused to sanction games there, and El Kanemi nominally agreed to move games this season to Kano.[7]
- - The Week 26 fixtures were suspended when the Nigeria Referees Association went on strike.[8] The league resumed 17 September.
Managerial (head coach) changes
[edit]Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nasarawa United | Kadiri Ikhana | Retired[9] | 20 Oct. 2013(preseason) | Mohammed Baba Ganaru | 22 Nov. 2013 |
Enugu Rangers | Felix Emordi | Resigned[10] | 21 Oct. 2013 | John Obuh | 28 Oct. 2013[11] |
Akwa United | Justin Tenger | Contract expired[12] | 1 Nov. 2013 | Emmanuel King | 10 Dec. 2013[13] |
Kano Pillars | Mohammed Baba Ganaru | Resigned to take over Nasarawa United[14] | 22 Nov. 2013 | Felix Emordi | 30 Jan. 2014[15] |
Bayelsa United | Ladan Bosso | Resigned to take over Abia Warriors[16] | 21 February 2014 | Richard Bubagha | 28 Feb. 2014[17] |
Giwa FC | Abdul Bidemi Biffo | Resigned [18] | 13 April | Aminu Musa(Interim)/Kadiri Ikhana[19] | 14 April/25 May |
Kaduna United | Saleh Lato | Deceased | 20 April | Hassan Abubakar | 27 April [20] |
Giwa FC | Kadiri Ikhana | Resigned to take Enyimba job [18] | 1 July | Duke Udi[21] | 1 July |
Enyimba | Zachary Baraje | Fired | 1 July | Kadiri Ikhana[22] | 1 July |
Gombe United | Maurice Cooreman | Resigned- Illness | July | Augustine Eguavoen | 9 July[23] |
Top scorers
[edit]- 23 goals
References
[edit]- ^ "New Nigeria league season kicks off Nov 22". Archived from the original on 9 October 2013. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
- ^ "9jafootball.com". www.9jafootball.com. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
- ^ "We're lucky to be alive - Sunshine player". Archived from the original on 2 March 2014. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
- ^ "Giwa, Nembe City thrown out of NPFL (supersport.com)". Retrieved 6 August 2023.
- ^ "Giwa FC re-admitted into NPFL".
- ^ "Nembe City return to NPFL".
- ^ "El Kanemi opt for Kano - MTNFootball". Archived from the original on 16 March 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
- ^ "Nigeria League games suspended | Goal.com".
- ^ "No change of heart for Ikhana". Retrieved 6 August 2023.
- ^ "Emordi quits Enugu Rangers". Retrieved 6 August 2023.
- ^ "Rangers task new coach Obuh". Archived from the original on 31 October 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
- ^ "Tenger quits Akwa Utd".
- ^ "King happy with Akwa job".
- ^ "Nasarawa Utd hook Ganaru".
- ^ "Pillars appoint coach Okey Emordi". Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
- ^ "Bosso Joins Abia Warriors After No Bayelsa Deal". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
- ^ "Bayelsa Utd return to continental action".
- ^ a b "SuperSport".
- ^ "Ikhana: I will bring my experience to bear on Giwa FC". Archived from the original on 24 May 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
- ^ Abubakar appointed as Kaduna United Technical Adviser nigeriafootball.com [dead link ]
- ^ "Duke Udi leads Giwa against ABS". Archived from the original on 5 July 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
- ^ "Ikhana: why I joined Enyimba | Goal.com".
- ^ "Gideon savoring Eguavoen's partnership".