Head coach Emmanuel Deutsch has expressed strong belief that Enyimba FC will retain their top-flight status despite a challenging season in the Nigeria Premier Football League.
The nine-time champions endured another setback following a 2-0 defeat to Kano Pillars on Sunday, a result that leaves the Aba-based side in 16th position on the table.
Currently hovering just above the relegation zone on goal difference, Enyimba’s struggles have been evident, with the defeat marking their 13th loss of the campaign—an unusually poor return for the two-time African champions.
Despite the mounting pressure, Deutsch remains optimistic about the club’s survival chances.
“The plan is for Enyimba to maintain their place in the NPFL. I’m very optimistic about it,” he stated.
Attention now shifts to a crucial Abia derby against Abia Warriors on Sunday in Aba, a fixture widely regarded as a must-win as Enyimba continue their battle to avoid relegation.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
