Enugu Rangers’ league title success in 2016 has motivated Poland-based sportswears manufacturing firm, Select Sports, to seek more business deals with NPFL clubs and the League Management Company (LMC) – organisers of the NPFL.
 
“Select Sports was very happy to see Enugu Rangers win the league in 2016 after many years,” Paul Szostek, brand manager, Select Sports told CSN.

“It was no coincidence that Rangers won the NPFL wearing our jerseys. It was a good moment for the company and we want to capitalize on it”.

Former Nigeria international, Ifeanyi Ekwueme, is Select Sports Ambassador in Nigeria and may have played a role in their inroad into the sports kits market in the country.
 
Szostek added: “We’ve had initial relationship with Rangers and Heartland.
“Rangers won the League wearing our jersey after many years of failure to lift any trophy. Like I said earlier, it was a good moment for us.
“But it was not a fair deal for us with Heartland because, at this moment, they have refused to pay up after taking delivery of our consignment.
“At the moment, they are not forth coming in settling our N2.9m bill.
Experience with Heartland is a most terrible one. As we speak, they are still owing us N2.9m.
“They got the goods, but when it came to paying up, they were not forthcoming.
“It was very disappointing, it was one of the sad points of cooperation with clubs here. It does not give encourgement to build a sustainable cooperation with clubs in Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, the Select Sports man’s claim has been quashed by Hon. Chibuzor Etuemena, the chairman of Heartland FC Executive Committee.
“I’m not aware of such deal if it ever happenes,” Hon. Etuemena told Completesportsnigeria.com.
“It was not during my tenure, and on assumption of office, there was no file or record to this effect.”
Not weighed down by the disappointment in their initial transaction with Heartland, Szostek, hints they are also interested in helping NPFL clubs and others maximise their huge potentials which he claims are not far away from their European counterparts.
“At the moment, Select Sports provides match balls for 10 league’s across Europe,” Szostek revealed.
“Only recently, we signed a four-year deal with Bundesliga officials which pushed Adidas out for the first time in their local area.
“This attests to the quality of our products which are in use in 10 European countries.
“So right now, we are in talks with the League Management Company, LMC, so we can as well be partners especially in the area of providing match balls.
“I’ve been around here for several months and I know there is huge potentials in NPFL clubs.
“The shape of the nation, resources of the NPFL clubs are just like their European counterparts.
“I just hope someone opens the door for us to come in because, personally, I’m a technical person.”