Awka –  The newly signed on coach of IfeanyiUba FC of Nnewi, John Obu, on Saturday, boasted that his club would defeat visiting Shooting Stars (3SC) of Ibadan in their Sunday’s match.

The Glo Premier League match with 3SC would hold at the club’s new home at the Rojenny Stadium Oba, near Onitsha.

Obu, who spoke the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka on Saturday, said the game would be his first test match as head coach of the club.

The coach said that the upcoming match would be his first as he merely accompanied them to Port Harcourt, where they lost 0-1 to Heartland of Owerri.

“You cannot say the last match was my `first baptism of fire’, because I only accompanied the team. My first match will be on Sunday against 3SC and I want our teeming fans to expect the best.

“I congratulate the crew for holding the club until my takeover, but the structure is not there and that is what we have come to establish.

“Obu is a brand and we shall convince our supporters that our appointment is in order, all we need is their support and prayers,” the coach said.

He said the current players in the club have had the opportunity to prove themselves, stressing that changes would be made based on the performances of the boys.

“As the new coach, I met some players on ground, so I will give them time to prove themselves before determining the changes that will be necessary,” Obu added.

The club recently sacked its former Bulgarian coach, Mitko Dobrev after its first home loss to Wikki Tourists of Bauchi on June 28.

The club lost two matches in quick succession and would be battling the Oluyole Warriors, who presently are 13th on the log with 26 points for supremacy.

In a related development, some sports enthusiasts have said IfeanyiUbah’s poor performance was normal for a young club.

They said the change that has brought Obu could destabilise the team.

“The darling team of Nnewi is young and fresh in the competition, unlike the other traditional sides. Fatigue is bound to set in, so we must allow them to go through the learning curve before sustainability is achieved.

“It is not a question of money,” they said.