BY CHINA ACHERU

Go Round FC have already won twice on the road since the 2018/19 Nigeria Professional Football League season kicked off ten match days ago, but the club this term is more than just the points acquired.

The style has changed and it is the smooth passing game of the club that has wowed fans both at home and away since the season kicked off.

In the pre-season friendly match against Akwa United, Port Harcourt based football writer, Emmanuel Olugbenga maintained that the style of the club had changed.

“I have noticed their passing game has changed. They do not just go route- one like before. They are actually passing the ball and being patient about it,” Emmanuel said.

But that was just a pre-season friendly game.

After beating Abia Warriors 2-1 in Umuahia in the team’s first game of the season, something had hit the consciousness of Nigerians. Go Round FC, maybe like Rangers of 2016 and MFM FC were ready to wow fans with their style, but how long would this last?

League Management Company, LMC Match Delegate, Fisayo Dairo spoke in glowing terms about how the team played.

“They were clearly the better side, passing the ball around the pitch patiently as they bore down on goal. Samuel Stone was tormentor in chief as he continued to bully the Abia Warriors players. Go Round FC were not in any danger of losing or drawing the game, even after the home side equalised,” Dairo told NPFL.ng.

Patience is the key

The club’s first home game against FC Ifeanyi Ubah ended goalless, but unlike previous Go Round FC sides, they did not get desperate and change their style especially towards the end of the game. They remained patient, trying to pass their opponents to death.

The same thing happened in the team’s second home draw against Kada City. At no time did they get desperate. Even when the fans became a bit agitated demanding a goal, there were no long balls loaded into the penalty area from defence. They just continued to play from the back, a rarity in the Nigerian League.

“That is how I want my team to play,” Willy Udube told NPFL.ng.

“We want to change the perception of Nigerian football and one way to do that is to see to it that it is entertaining. It does not matter the pressure, we will keep the ball on the ground, pass the ball until the goals come. And if the goals do not come, we will try again the next match. We will win by passing the ball,” Udube said.

Udube’s revolution is entertaining

During the home win against Kano Pillars, it was clear that the more experienced visiting side did not know what hit them and Go Round FC passed them off the pitch.

Once in the game Otega, in Central Defence played the ball through the middle for Morice Chukwu; Chukwu guided the ball well, holding it up until Right Full Back, Ebuka Akobundu ran up into space and his through pass located him up front.

Rather than cross the ball, Ebuka cut it back displacing his marker, then passed to Shedrack who had left the penalty area to claim the ball. Backing the post, Shadrack feinted as though he wanted to make a dash in but back heeled to Stanley Worlu who passed side ways to Chukwu, but his shot went wide.

The fans’ applaud was wild, they were excited and patient too. The scenario described above has become a regular feature when the club plays, a testament to their training routine which is displayed in the League too. But the coach is worried that they do not score as much as they play.

“We are not scoring as much as we want, but anyone who watches us play will know there is a difference in our play and we believe that if we keep at it, the goals will start coming,” Udube said.

In Okigwe against Heartland, Go Round FC outplayed the hosts but profligacy ensured they did not score until Okon Otop won the game for the home side at the death; in Lafia against Plateau United, Go Round FC were in complete control of the game until the 77^th minute when the home side scored.

“We want to enjoy football and we want the fans, both ours and those of the opponents to enjoy football too. If we do this consistently, then you can be rest assured that the nation and maybe the continent will start talking about a certain club in a small town in Rivers State playing decent football. That is what we want. We also believe the attackers will score more consistently to cap the performance with goals.

“But goals or not, we will not change our style. We would rather train to be more prolific,” Udube said.

In the off season, the team lost five starting players in Stanley Nwabali, Chile Azu, Nelson Esor, Okon Otop and Chidi Nwachukwu, but the likes of Dede, Akaba Otega, Ifeanyi Anyanwu, Rilwan Sadiq and Patrick Osakwe who joined up have ensured that the club continued from where it stopped last season.

Go Round FC plan to make a statement with the League this season and they seem to be doing it, but it is still early days yet.