NPFL players to wear black armbands for late coach

Emeteole died in an Indian hospital before a surgery to treat his throat cancer ailment.

To mourn the former Heartland, El Kanemi Warriors and Enugu Rangers coach, organisers of the NPLF, the League Management Company (LMC) have announced that players will wear black armbands in Matchday 26 fixtures.

A minute silence will also be observed across all NPFL venues at Matchday 26 fixtures.

According to LMC chairman Shehu Dikko, the death of Coach Emetoele is a great loss to the NPFL.

“Emeteole deserves all the honour we can accord him at this time. We commiserate with his family and pray that God will grant them the fortitude to pass through this trying time in their family,” Dikko said in a statement.

“The passing on of Coach Emeteole is a great loss to the NPFL because he was a coach that has been very prominent in the league coaching teams and raising some of the players who have made this country proud.

“He was a true Nigerian who played football and worked with clubs across the states, speaking all three Nigerian major languages.”

Nicknamed the Caterpillar, Emeteole played for the Super Eagles at the 1976 Africa Nations Cup in Ethiopia and served as assistant coach for the Golden Eaglets in 1985, and Flying Eagles and Super Eagles.

Emetole played for Heartland before returning as a coach. He also managed El kanemi Warriors and Enugu Rangers.