- The League Bloggers Awards has named eight nominees for the January 2020 Player of The Month and Coach of The Month awards in the Nigeria Professional Football League.
The League Bloggers Awards has named eight nominees for the January 2020 Player of The Month and Coach of The Month awards in the Nigeria Professional Football League.
Sponsored by logistics firm, OverXpress, the LBA was instituted in 2009 to celebrate outstanding players and coaches in the domestic topflight.
Abdullahi Biffo of Kwara United, Gbenga Ogunbote (Lobi Stars), Stanley Eguma (Rivers United) and Sulaimon Kabir Dogo (Sunshine Stars) make the shortlist for the Coach of the month award.
The Player of The Month category has Kwara United duo goalkeeper Abdullateef Ishola and Alao Danbani as well as Dakkadá’s Moses Effiong and Kano Pillars’ Auwalu Ali.
It was a month in which the quartet of Ogunbote, Eguma, Dogo and Biffo lost one each but claimed 13, 11 and 10 points respectively.
Interestingly, three coaches: Biffo, Ogunbote and Dogo won on the road at Akwa United, Adamawa and Wikki Tourists, respectively. Eguma was without a win on the road.
Dogo was unbeaten in his last five matches in the month under review, while Biffo earned a four-match unbeaten run before losing his last match at Adamawa. In addition, his side recorded clean sheets in four consecutive matches, which included the 2-0 win at Akwa United.
Ishola enters the record book as the first goalkeeper to be nominated this term after earning clean sheets in three matches against Abia Warriors, Katsina United and Sunshine Stars.
Danbani earned nomination like his goalkeeper, after scoring thrice at Akwa United and Adamawa United, while Auwalu scored twice at Sunshine and one at home against Warri Wolves to boost his chances.
Effiong’s hattrick against Adamawa United earned him a place in the prestigious list.
The LBA will announce January winners on Wednesday.
