Bayelsa Queens head coach, Ogbonda Whyte, has expressed support for the ongoing NWFL Premiership break, noting that it was necessary due to the Falconets’ Under-20 World Cup qualifying matches.
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Speaking on the pause, Whyte explained that the decision, taken by the Nigerian Football Federation, was the right move at a crucial stage of the league. He emphasized that suspending matches ensures fairness, as clubs with multiple players called up for national duty would otherwise be at a disadvantage.
“I think the law says that if you have more than five or six players in a particular club, their matches can be suspended,” Whyte said. “In this particular incident, the Nigerian Football Federation took a decision, not even to the League Board, that the league matches be suspended.
I think they took the right decision because we have a national engagement, and that match has to do with the Under-20 World Cup qualifier, which is crucial.”
He added that the break benefits all clubs, as every team needs their players available during this critical period. “Every player, every club need their players in the team,” Whyte noted, stressing that no club would want to risk dropping points without key members of their squad.
The two-week pause in the NWFL Premiership, caused by the Falconets’ national team assignment, ensures that clubs can plan effectively while supporting the development of Nigerian women’s football at the international level.
