Heartland Queens technical adviser, Obi Ogbala has insisted that his side are not going to rest on their oars despite attaining the NWFL Premiership Super Six status.
Coach Ogbala revealed this to newsmen in his NWFL Premiership matchday 13 game post match interview against Naija Ratels at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri after Heartland Queens edged Naija Ratels 2-1 to secure the NWFL Premiership Super Six slot on 24 points with one game in hand, Nigeriasoccernet.com gathered.
Ogbala who has his eyes on the grand prize insisted that it will be a fight to finish when he gets to that stage but pointed out that the league is still on and for now the aim is to maintain top spot when they battle Dannaz Ladies in Lagos considering the likely permutations involved.
In his post match reactions after Victory against Naija Ratels, Ogbala told newsmen,
“Well , I feel elated, I started with Heartland Queens back in 2020 and I took them to Premiership, then to Super Six. I know I am a Super Six coach, I have done it severally with Rivers Angels, Nasarawa Amazons but I thought it wise to take Heartland Queens to make history first of its kind for the state and for the team. I feel very happy and I have to give kudos to my players most especially the management, government and the fans, they really worked hard for us to be here, taking Heartland Queens to Super Six".
"The journey was not that easy but I muscled courage to make Imolites happy, I know with this everybody is happy now, the management, technical crew, my colleagues and the players did it for us, more especially the backing from the government of Dist. Sen. Hope Uzodinma", he rallied round and gave his words for us to qualify for Super Six.
"Looking at the table and looking at what we want, we wanted victory no matter the goals, we needed three points but I took them to the league table and I said, this people are seventh on the log and that’s relegation zone which means that it is not going to be an easy one".
"We played goalless in Abuja, I told them that this match is everything for them but we are going to take it as one of those matches so when they scored their first goal, I knew the fight was on but I have to tell the players look we have to double the strength".
"You know in a contest like this, if you look at the history, the past and you bring it to the present, from the Championship we lost to them and last season like you said we received it hot, I still told the players that now, it is Naija Ratels again, can we allow that to happen? so I feel happy that the jinx has been broken.
"Like I said one thing after the other we have played the regular season then now we are in Super Six, I never bothered bringing what we are going to experience in Super Six to my players, I said let us cross hurdle first, and now that we have crossed the bridge, we will give it the necessary push".
"We still have one match to go looking at it now we have 24 points with the three points, we will make it 27. Finally Nasarawa Amazons and Confluence Queens are going to play so one will go down either one win, draw or thereabout, we are looking at picking the maximum points in Lagos to top the group, my eyes are still on the top spot irrespective of the fact that I have qualified for Super Six,” Ogbala concluded.
Heartland Queens still maintain the second position having qualified for the Super Six in Group A alongside with leaders, Nasarawa Amazons and Confluence Queens and will now face the final battle against Dannaz Ladies on Wednesday in Lagos in one final battle to see who finish atop of the eight-team Group A.
Credit: Heartland Queens Media