Club Legend Sunday Abe Asserts Sunshine Stars’ NPFL Relegation Battle is Far from Over

Former Nigerian international Sunday Abe maintains a positive outlook on Sunshine Stars’ prospects of preserving their spot in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), despite a concerning slump in form.

The Akure-based club has faced significant challenges this 2024/25 season, marked by inconsistent performances that have left them languishing in the relegation zone.

A troubling four-game winless streak has intensified fears of relegation, with the team currently positioned 19th in the league table, having accumulated only 34 points from 31 matches.

Nevertheless, the club legend, who retired from playing just last season, remains hopeful, asserting that all is not lost, as the team has overcome similar adversities in the past.

“We’re sitting at 19th because our efforts haven’t been sufficient—it’s as simple as that. Sentiment won’t rescue us. If changes aren’t made swiftly, relegation will be unavoidable.”

“Dropping to the National League would be a catastrophic setback, and we must battle fiercely to prevent that outcome at all costs.”

“I firmly believe we can steer clear of relegation; we’ve found ourselves in this predicament for the past four seasons and managed to escape each time. However, we can’t continue down this dire path. Immediate change is crucial.”

After narrowly avoiding relegation last season, the Owena Whales appeared poised for a competitive campaign. Unfortunately, a string of disappointing results led to the resignation of coach Kennedy Boboye, who cited interference from the club’s management as a reason for his departure.

Veteran tactician Abubakar Bala stepped in as his replacement, but the situation has continued to deteriorate for the 2012 CAF Champions League semi-finalists.

When asked about the team’s struggles, the former Nigeria youth international commented: “There are multiple issues at play, and this isn’t a recent development.”

“As a former captain, I believe in finding solutions rather than assigning blame.”

“The management understands what steps need to be taken if they genuinely wish to restore the club to its former glory. It’s all about making the right decisions going forward.”

“It would be misguided to criticise the quality of our players. In my observation, they’re not underperforming. The fans are also doing their part, but something vital is still missing.”

“We require a change in strategy to reverse our fortunes and get back on track.”

In alignment with Abe’s perspective, coach Bala is also confident that his team can avoid relegation.

“Since the start of the second half of the season, we haven’t secured any wins on the road, but we trust that the players are addressing our weaknesses in away matches,” he expressed to the media, as reported by Punch.

“We are diligently working on our focus and finishing. We managed to score four goals in our last home game, which will help us gather more points both at home and away. We’re optimistic that after two or three more games, we will climb out of the relegation zone.”

Sunshine Stars will aim to end their four-match winless streak with an away game against Lobi Stars on Sunday afternoon at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium.

Lobi Stars find themselves in a precarious position at the bottom of the NPFL table, with only 23 points from 30 matches and no wins in their last 13 outings in the Nigerian topflight.