Champions of the 2015/16 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season stand to win N40m from the Merit Award of the League Management Company (LMC). Rangers International of Enugu and Rivers United of Port Harcourt are the two clubs in contention for the big prize money from a total of N200m pool set aside by the LMC as reward for final position on the league table at the end of the season on Sunday.

Last season, the highest payout from the Merit Award which went to Enyimba International was N30m from a total pool of N150m and this year’s figure of N200m represents an increase of 25%. The Merit Award pool has been witnessing an annual progression from N50m in 2012/13 to N75m in 2013/14 season and now N200m. The top three Clubs on the final table usually received the chunk of the Merit Award which supports the clubs financially in their preparation for the CAF Club competitions the next season.

According to figures released by the LMC, the champions would have received a minimum of N90m in all direct payments for the 2016 season including the Basic Award which comprises of pool of funds shared equally amongst all the 20 participating clubs, the Merit award paid to clubs based on their final position on the table, the Football development and the Bonus award which is paid to clubs based on performances including incentives for improving match attendance, away wins/draw, fielding players under the age of 18 and hosting live broadcast matches.

The lowest placed team in the NPFL this season would thus have received a upto N55m in direct payments from the LMC from all payment Centres.

A statement from the LMC explained that “in addition to the direct payments clubs do also benefit from other indirect payments such as free registration of players and officials, free insurance, payment of match officials’ indemnities and hotel accommodation as well as sponsored seminars and other engagements funded by the LMC”.

Rangers are three points ahead of Rivers United with the Flying Antelopes hosting El-Kanemi Warriors at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium now called The Cathedral by Enugu fans needing a point to guarantee the title while Rivers United go hunting for three points in Uyo against Akwa United. The Port Harcourt side will seek to win big while hoping that Rangers will falter against their visitors.

Coach of the Super Eagles Gernot Rohr has detailed out how he intends to integrate three Nigerian prospect in Chidozie Awaziem of FC Porto, Kelechi Nwakali of Arsenal and Victor Osimhen of Wolfsburg into the Super Eagles fold before World Cup 2018.

While the coach is yet to call up Nwakali, Osimhen and Awaziem were part of his first set of call ups but they failed to make the match day squad for the game against Tanzania.

The duo were subsequently dropped by the coach for the squad against Zambia in October, but their chances with the Super Eagles is not over yet as alongside Nwakali who is on loan to MVV Masstricht, the coach has big plans for them.

” Awaziem and Osimhen are very much part of Rohr’s plan, but they need to sort out their club form and be at their best. They are very young and he doesn’t want to rush them just yet. Don’t forget, he was once head of youth football in Germany” A source told Owngoalnigeria.

” Nwakali although has a lot of work to do, is also high on the radar of the manager. The plan is to slowly introduce them into the team using friendly games before the 2018 World Cup in Russia”.

Paco Jemez , the man who converted Super Eagles latest invitee Uche Agbo to a central defender from his midfield role has been fired by the club, owing to a poor start to the season.

Paco, converted Agbo who has been a midfielder for Granada the past three seasons to a central defender during pre season, and the ex Nigeria junior international kept his place when the season got underway in Spain.

A poor run of just two draws from their first six games of the season have left them in 19th position on the log and, to an extent early candidates for relegation.

Ironically, Agbo who was recently called up as a replacement for injured regular Nigeria national team defender Leon Balogun is part of a defence line that has conceded the most goals (15) in the six weeks old La-Liga.

Agbo is currently on loan to the La-Liga side from English side Watford, where it is expected that he will return back to the side after the expiration of his loan deal.

According to reports exclusively gathered by Owngoalnigeria.com , out of favour Super Eagles duo of Godfrey Obaboana and John Ogu are presently been kept out of the team base on reasons outside playing of football.

Despite their fine form for their respective teams , they have not been considered for call up to the national team of Nigeria, a case which we traced and found out what could possibly be responsible for their exemption from the team.

We gathered Hapoel Be’er Sheva Ogu fell out with a senior member of the team during Nigeria’s AFCON 2017 qualifiers game against Chad in Kaduna , who said to him the game would be his last in the national team as long as he continues to be in the team.

Obaboana on his part, had an arguments with one of the assistant coaches in the team during a friendly game , a situation which provoked onlookers but was snub by a certain coach of the team back then.

That incident appears to be hunting his chances of playing for the team, as new coach Gernot Rohr was told of the incident, which was used in omitting Obaboana from the list of players submitted to the manager , when he took over the job of coach of Nigeria.

Arsenal fast rising star Alex Iwobi has outlined his trophy priority for Arsenal this season, which is the 20th for manager Arsene Wenger since taking over the London side in 1996.

Since Arsene Wenger took over, Arsenal have won the FA Cup six times and the Premier League on three occasions. But he’s never won the Champions League, and Alex thinks that’s what Arsenal need to focus on this year.

Iwobi reckons as much he wouldn’t mind winning the Premier League with Arsenal. Winning the UEFA Champions League is his main goal.

“Personally, I want to win the Premier League. That would be an amazing feeling.

“But for the club the most important one has got to be the Champions League.

“That’s the big one, and to win that would be like a dream come true.”