Abia Warriors head coach Imama Amapakabo has admitted that his side were fortunate to escape with a point against Doma United after another frustrating afternoon at home, with the coach expressing concern over problems that continue to undermine their performances.
The Umuahia-based side twice came from behind to secure a 2-2 draw in their Matchday 12 encounter in Aba, but the result did little to ease the pressure on a team struggling to turn promising attacking situations into victories.
Speaking after the match, Amapakabo pointed to two recurring weaknesses that have affected his team’s campaign: poor finishing and an inability to respond effectively when possession is lost.
“It’s terrible, you know, because I worry about every other game,” he said when asked about the dropped points.
“We create the chances and we are not combating them. There have been so many moments for us in transition moments. My players are not reacting well in defensive transition.”
The coach explained that these shortcomings were not new concerns within the squad, insisting that the technical crew had spent considerable time working on both aspects without seeing the desired improvement.
“Something we’ve been working on, you know, and what has bedevilled us mostly has been our finishing and our transition in defence. We’ve done a whole lot on it but still, you know, the players, you know.”
READ MORE: NPFL round-up: Rangers hold summit as Bendel Insurance rise to second, Enyimba stumble again
Beyond the technical problems, Amapakabo also suggested that the team’s recent results had affected the players psychologically, adding that efforts were being made to improve their confidence.
“Sometimes when you get bad results, you know, it’s kind of where the players are. Psychologically too, we’ve been trying to boost them,” he said.
His assessment of the contest was particularly revealing, considering that Abia Warriors had fought back twice through Obioma Chukwumeka but could not find a winner despite opportunities to take all three points.
“We were lucky today, we escaped with a point,” Amapakabo admitted.
The coach also raised concerns over the number of injury problems that emerged during the encounter, particularly the hamstring complaints that disrupted his plans from the early stages.
Asked how he intended to manage the situation ahead of the team’s upcoming fixtures, he questioned whether the players had prepared adequately before kick-off.
“I was asking the questions, you know, how well the players warmed up, you know, before the game because, you know, just from the start of the game, there were too many injury worries, you know, especially hamstring injuries and it gave me so much concern.”
He, however, said the club’s medical team would assess the affected players before decisions were made about their availability.
“Our medical team is going to look at the players and see how it goes,” he added.
READ MORE: Enyimba sink deeper into relegation trouble after defeat to Ranchers Bees
Despite his visible frustration during the game, Amapakabo explained that he had to remain composed on the touchline, particularly because of the responsibility he carries towards the players.
Asked how he managed his emotions while watching his team squander opportunities, the coach offered a striking description of the demands of his job.
“You know, I’m a coach and I have to do my crying in the rain. You know, I don’t have to, you know, I take soldiers to war. And if I show a soldier saying my body language that I’m defeated, it’s always, you know, it is, you know, challenging for me.”
He was especially concerned that the team appeared to lack enough reliable finishers, even as the chances continued to arrive.
“It is challenging for me that I have just one player in a squad of about 30-something that converts chances. And the same player has chances too and he loses them too. So it’s a big problem.”
Amapakabo believes responsibility for improving the team’s attacking output is shared between the technical crew and the players. While his job is to organise the team and create opportunities, he believes the players must take responsibility for converting them.
“My worry, like I always say, two people are involved in the game. I am responsible for tactics and formations. My responsibility is to make them arrive at goal. And it’s their responsibility to take the chances that we’ll be able to create through tactics, by their technique.”
He concluded by insisting that the team would continue working on the problem.
“And when they’re not converting, we keep working on it.”
CLICK HERE TO JOIN ATHLETIC NG WHATSAPP CHANNEL NOW!
The draw leaves Abia Warriors 19th in the Euromatch-NPFL table with 11 points from 12 matches, having recorded two wins, five draws and five defeats.
