Fatai Osho, a former Enyimba of Aba, Rivers Utd and Akwa Utd gaffer has boldly revealed his Republic of Benin side, ASVO FC, will spare no rods when they file out against Nigeria elite league side, Shooting Stars Sports Club, 3SC, Ibadan, in one of the semi final fixtures of the 2024 Optima Energy Gold Cup semi final fixtures, Silvernews.com.ng reports.
Osh is full of confidence that his Republic of Benin side, Association Sportive de la Vallée de l’Ouémé, ASVO FC, will give give their uptimum best against the Oluyole Warriors.
The semi final match has been scheduled to hold on Thursday, 22 August at Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne.
The soft speaking gaffer spoke ahead of Thursday’s Optima Energy Gold Cup semi-final against the Oluyole Warriors at the Remo Stars International Stadium, Ikenne by 3pm.
“I’m impressed with the transition in my team, coming from an opening day defeat to a draw and a win in the final group game,” Osho told Optima Energy Gold Cup preseason tournament Media Channel.
“But, we can’t be ignorant of the fact that we still have a whole lot of work to do, to make the team better. Having a contest with Shooting Stars in the semi-final will help us as a team, as the Oluyole Warriors will expose our weaknesses and strengths, and on our part, we’ll be ambitious.
“Once a team is in the semi-final of any tournament and has the chance to win it, then such a team must give its best shot. That, ASVO FC will do, as we want to have another test with defending champions, Beyond Limits in the final if both teams qualify.
“We are looking forward to the Optima Energy Gold Cup final, as there’s always a first time in any thing. In the last week of intense training and looking at the work rate of players in the matches we have played, coming this far, I am highly encouraged. So, playing in the final on Saturday will be an icing on the cake for us.
“My assistants and I will prepare the team mentally and physically for the Shooting Stars game and with a mindset that anything is quite possible”, yes, impossible is nothing at this stage of any competition”.
The Nigeria born gaffer looks back with fond appreciation his team’s progress in the preseason tournament, saying it wasn’t a stroll in the park at all.
“It has been one with mixed emotions but a good one for the team, as finishing the final game against Kasam FA with a win despite seeing off a greater part of the game with 10-men, says a lot about the team.
“In our first game against Beyond Limits, we started badly, the conditioning was not there, and we then had to work extra hard on the players, so that they could be able to compete, that’s what has manifested in the team as they can now play better with the ball as a unit and execute my tactical instructions on the pitch.
“The fitness level of my players is gradually coming up, as this is the only time we can overload them in training and still ask them to play”.
So far in the tournament, Osha had stayed away from the dug-out, leaving that role to his assistants, while he isolates himself so as to have a clearer observation of his team while at the same time take note of salient points to work on.
He further explains reasons for his ‘no show on the dug out.
“It is deliberate. It’s a preseason tournament, and I want my assistants to do much of the job on the touchline while I watch calmly and jot on my notes the key things I see about my players during matches”.
The former coach of Akwa United, assured ASVO FC fans that they will see his ‘Sugar Ball’ when the Beninoise season kicks off.
“No doubt about it, we are going to be good in that area, my free-flowing football.
“Practically, we have just two weeks to work as a unit, and to have a team, where you can have players that can pass the ball to each other even with their eyes closed, would need time”.
