The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Abia Warriors

  • Sunshine, Abia Warriors’ players hit Plateau Utd camp

    Sunshine, Abia Warriors’ players hit Plateau Utd camp

    The Jos side’s camp has been flooded with players from the Owena Whales and the Umuahia based side ahead of the new season’s campaign.

    Plateau United have stormed top Nigeria clubs like Warri Wolves, Abia Warriors, Sunshine Stars and Ikorodu United to recruit new players.

    The Jos side ended last season in eighth position with 51 points from 36 matches and club’s genaral manager, Pius Henwan has revealed that they are close to agreeing personal terms with the new players and will also seek the consent of their clubs too.

    “We have started our preparations for the coming season and have witnessed influx of players to our camp,” Henwan told Goal.

    “Players from Ikorodu United, Warri Wolves, Sunshine Stars and Abia Warriors are some of those presently in our camp trying to convince new head coach, Kennedy Boboye that they will like to join us.

    “Coach Boboye has told us the type of players he would like to sign and this weekend we shall sit down to finalize on the number of players to sign and the choice of pre-season venue to go too to ensure that we have the best of closed camping exercises.”

  • Abia Warriors sign Seun Olulayo

    Abia Warriors sign Seun Olulayo

    Abia Warriors FC of Umuahia have signed former Nigeria Under-23 national team player, Seun Olulayo ahead of the 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season.

    Olulayo joined Abia Warriors from Sunshine Stars FC of Akure on a year deal. He is expected to arrive in Umuahia on Wednesday to team up with other players.

    The left sided attacking midfielder who won the 2015 African Nations under-23 competition in Senegal with Coach Sampson Siasia signed the contract on Tuesday afternoon.

    The club’s chairman, High Chief Emeka Inyama said the need to do well in the league necessitated the club’s action to go for the best legs in the Nigerian League of which Olulayo belongs.

    Other talented players recruited by the club include; former Heartland FC of Owerri Skipper and Federation Cup Winner, Chinedu Efugh, Dele Olorundare from Sunshine Stars of Akure, Newman Musa of MFM, Zoumana Doumbia of Heartland FC and other good players.

    However, the club is expected to be in Calabar on Friday for a closed camping in preparation for the coming season.

  • Patrick Ngwaogu thankful for Abia Warriors chance

    Patrick Ngwaogu thankful for Abia Warriors chance

    Patrick Ngwaogu has said he is happy with the new challenge handed to him by the management of Abia Warriors.

    He was appointed as the assistant coach of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) outfit last week.

    He has been charged with advising the team once the 2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season gets underway.

    “The job at Abia Warriors is a call to service. Having made moderate achievements outside my state of origin for almost three decades now, I feel that this is a serious recognition for me, which shows that whatever you are doing, someone is watching. I want to thank the management of Abia Warriors and the state government for the recognition. I promise not to disappoint them,” Nwgaogu told Goal.

    “I will be responsible for analyzing matches for Abia Warriors and the opposition as well as coming up with strategies for games.

    The highly respected personality said he is looking forward to working with technical adviser, Felix Okey Emordi going by their long standing relationship. Coach Emordi is a long time friend of mine. He’s one of the best coaches in the land. I look forward to working with him,” he said.

  • Abia Warriors engage Okey Emordi

    Abia Warriors engage Okey Emordi

    Chairman of Abia Warriors FC Chief Emeka Inyama has revealed that his club will resume for the new season on 4 November, this is to ensure that they prepare adequately for the new season which begins on 6 December.

    Inyama further hinted that the team has secured the services of  former Enyimba International Technical Adviser Okey Emordi for the new season.

    Inyama who spoke at the Club Office in Umuahia said the Coach has agreed personal terms with the Club and will soon be unveil after all documentations must have been concluded.

    Inyama further hinted that the team has also engaged the services of Dele Olorundare, top striker from Sunshine, Dayo Ojo also of Sunshine. Also in talk with Central defender kehinde Anifowoshe of MFM.

    He said that they have also secured the services of  Patrick Ngwaogu who would work as the Match Reader/Asst Coach for the team. Ngwaogu who is a graduate of the University of Ibadan, has a coaching certificate from the National Institute for Sports and CAF license certificate.

    He was among the Nigerian coaches that were in London in 2015 for Capacity building course in Match reading and analysis. He said the match reader would assist the new coach in achieving the desired result.

    He further stated that Coach Usman Biffo, who is currently on training in US, will also be part of the technical crew.

    “We are aiming for the best this season, and remain optimistic that the 2016/2017 football season would be a better one for Abia Warriors,” he concluded.

  • Abia Warriors have learnt their lessons, says Ihuarulam

    Uche Ihuarulam has expressed gratitude to the entire Abia Warriors family for their support in helping the team to escape relegation.

    “First of all I would like to thank the Lord for how far He brought us, taking us out of the relegation zone, and also to management members, supporters, playing body and all the technical staff, who helped us out of this battle,” Ihuarulam told Goal.

    “Next campaign will bring fresh hopes for us. Lessons have been learn and that will give us the needed drive for better targets.

    “We experienced really difficult times last season which could have taken us to relegation but the board, management and playing body stood to the challenge. We must be extremely thankful to everyone for their support,” he concluded.

  • Biffo delighted after leading Abia Warriors to safety

    Biffo delighted after leading Abia Warriors to safety

    Abia Warriors head coach, Abdullahi Usman has expressed gratitude after the Ocendo Babes secured their top flight status with a 2-1 win over Shooting Stars.

    The hosts needed three points to be sure of safety in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) and they got it thanks to Ndifreke Effiong’s late winner from the penalty spot.

    Biffo admitted that the Oluyole Warriors made them work hard but was glad that they finally had the three points.

    “I am happy since the team worked hard in the match which finally paid off with a win. This was crucial for us and an encouragement too. We will still play in the NPFL next season,” Biffo told Goal.

    “My job to steer the team away from relegation has been achieved. Fingers crossed, let’s wait and see what the future will offer. There is joy in my heart, I can’t express how I feel at the moment. There were concerns when they levelled up but I kept on telling the boys to go for the killer and the final outcome was there for all to see.

    “I think we deserve the three points and above all safety for another season. The effort of the boys over the last few weeks has been very commendable and laudable,”he said.

  • Abia Warriors have avoided relegation

    Abia Warriors have avoided relegation

    Coach Abdullahi Biffo has said he will accomplish his mission at Abia Warriors by ensuring they stay up in the Nigeria premier league on Sunday.

    “We will end the season unbeaten in six matches and we will remain in the league by finishing the job at home in our last game,” Biffo said.

    “We went to a difficult ground (Rivers United) to pick the point that will save us from relegation. The target set for me was to help the team remain in the NPFL. It is already an accomplished season for me.”

    With a round of matches to end the season, the Umuahia club are on 45 points, only two points outside the relegation pack.

    They are home to already safe Shooting Stars on the final day of the season on Sunday. And former Giwa and Niger Tornadoes coach, Biffo said even before this match he believes Abia Warriors will be safe after they grinded a point at title chasers, Rivers United.

  • Asekunowo disappointed after draw with Abia Warriors

    Asekunowo disappointed after draw with Abia Warriors

    Rivers United have given up hopes of becoming Nigerian champions, if words by defender, Ayobami Asekunowo is anything to go by.

    “I am shocked at the result on Sunday, it’s now pretty difficult and we are now condemned to win our last match this season against Akwa United in Uyo to secure the second position, ” Asekunowo told Goal.

    “Nobody is happy with the result because we didn’t expect to drop point at this crucial state. We have fought so hard from the start of the season but the result on Sunday hurts so bad,  it’s really painful that we drew our last home game.”

    Securing a continental slot for Rivers United may become a mirage as both FC Ifeanyi Ubah, 56 points and Wikki Tourist, 54 points sit behind with a match to go.

  • Abia Warriors, Sunshine slammed

    Abia Warriors, Sunshine slammed

    Sunshine Stars and Abia Warriors have been sanctioned by the League Management Company (LMC) for disruptive behaviour of their fans in recent matches just as Enyimba’s Masseur, Mr. Ifeanyi Kalu was handed a one year ban from all activities of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) and his club fined N250,000.

    A total fine of N2.7m has been imposed on Sunshine Stars for various breaches of the rule including failure to provide adequate security, assault on match officials, throwing of object into the field of play, delaying the start of the second half and throwing of object at an official of Heartland FC.

    The breaches were committed in the course of their Match Day 33 fixture against Heartland at the Akure Township Stadium. In addition to the fine, Sunshine Stars will now serve the one match behind closed door which was earlier imposed as a suspended punishment for similar breaches on Match Day 17 fixture against Warri Wolves. The assaulted assistant referee and the injured Heartland official will be paid compensations of N250, 000 each from the fine.

    Abia Warriors are being sanctioned for the conduct of their fans in the Match Day 34 fixture against FC IfeanyiUbah and has been fined a total of N2.5m in addition to playing two matches behind closed door.

    The club was fined N1m for encroachment of fans into the field of play while a fine of N750, 000 is to be paid for the club’s failure to provide adequate security for the match officials immediately after the match. Each of the three match officials are to be paid N250, 000 each as compensation by the club for the assault perpetrated by their fans on the match officials. Abia Warriors are also to replace the FIFA match wrist watch the referee lost during the fracas.

    According to the Summary Jurisdiction Notice issued the club, the fan(s) who assaulted the match officials must be apprehended by Abia Warriors and handed over to law enforcement agencies for prosecution. The sanction further ordered that should the club fail to produce the culprit(s) after seven days from the date of the notice, a fine of N250, 000 shall accrue for each day until the order is complied with.

    The club has until close of business on Friday, September 16 (today) to respond in writing indicating acceptance of the charges or electing to appear before a commission.

  • Abia Warriors condemn fans behaviour

    Abia Warriors condemn fans behaviour

     Accuse IfeanyiUbah supporters of violence

    Premier league side, Abia warriors Football Club of Umuahia, have condemned, in strong terms, the minor skirmishes that followed the club’s 1-1 draw with visiting oriental brothers, FC Ifeanyi Ubah at the Umuahia Township Stadium and accused the opposing fans of engineering the violence.

    In a statement issued in Umuahia after the club’s emergency management meeting, Abia Warriors recalled that the Umuahia Township Stadium has remained the most peaceful venue in the country as no violence has ever been recorded at the arena in the history of Nigerian Football before, during or after any match no matter the result recorded.

    The club noted that FC Ifeanyi Ubah had come to Umuahia with thousands of their fans and were the ones that started a fight even at half time when their goalkeeper beat up a ball boy for an inexplicable reason and after the game in order to indict Abia Warriors Football Club.

    “We have lost some games and drawn others at the Umuahia Township Stadium this season and nothing happened after those matches despite the provocation by some of the officials, so what is the big deal about the draw with Ifeanyi Ubah?” the statement queried.

    Abia Warriors called on the league Management Company to monitor the activities of the officials that handle league matches at this critical period of the season in order to ensure fairness to all the clubs and so that the league will not be brought into disrepute through the activities of some overzealous referees.