Rivers United’s Coach, Stanley Eguma was one of the voices against the return to an abridged format for the new Nigeria Premier League season.

Eguma has urged the League Management Committee to abandon the idea of revisiting the abridged League structure even in future campaigns.

Last season, Rivers lost the title to Enyimba FC, who emerged as champions after winning the decisive Super 6 tournament – the tournament featured the top six teams from two groups in the abridged format.

Speaking to FL, Eguma revealed that the abridged league format is not a proper yardstick to determine the champion of the league and restricts teams from fully engaging in the competition.

He pointed out that under the abridged format, teams are only required to face half of the total teams, in contrast to playing against every team in the league.

“Last season the abridged League was introduced and the way it was handled was good, but, I for one would not recommend it. The abridged league does not give a full participation, to compete in the competition,” the former League champion said.

“When you play a full league you know your strength and your capability and you can now crown a true champions but when you play some teams and then don’t play against some others, it doesn’t give that full challenge that is deserved and in other great footballing countries, you don’t hear anything like abridged league.

“I think we should adopt what is globally accepted, which is the full league.”

“I don’t think there’s any reason for us to go back to our previous league. So the full league is acceptable. Anything other than the full league will not be acceptable.”