The Nation Newspaper

Tag: clubs

  • Club Owners want erring clubs punished

    A Communique issued at the end of a meeting of Premier League Club Chairmen and Managers (Club Owners) held on Thursday 11th July 2013 at the Lamonde Hotel Wuse 2 Abuja with all the 20 Clubs in attendance.

    1. Club Owners met and once again reviewed the state of the league so far and called for joint efforts of all the relevant stakeholders to move the League forward.

    2. Club owners enjoined the LMC to spell out stiffer sanctions on clubs that restrict Live or Video coverages of matches, as well as those involved in assault of match officials.

    3. On the lingering crisis over Title and TV rights sponsorship, Club owners urged the LMC and all the parties involved to respect all existing contractual agreements and MOU inorder to avoid further Litigations.

    4. The club owners have set up a 5-man Transition committee headed by Barrister S.B Aluko of kwara united to advise the association and guide us on how best to approach the forth-coming election into the League board, in line with FIFA Standard Electoral code. Other members of the committee are Zanna Mala(Elkanemi), Dumbor Awanen( Dolphin), Alabi Demola( 3SC), Oscar Keke(Heartland) Secretary.

    5. Club owners also dissassociate self from any purported interview conducted to recruit any new staff for the League. However the Clubs advised the LMC to ensure that salaries of existing staff are paid promptly as well as to ensure trainning and retrainning of existing staff for Efficiency. Communique Drafting Committee: Alh.Abba Yola(kano pillars) Chairman, Mallam Farouk Yarma(Gombe utd) Member, Odogu Akpofini(Bayelsa utd) Member, Alloy Chukwuemeka( ABS FC) member.

  • Clubs axed after 79-0, 67-0 results

    Clubs axed after 79-0, 67-0 results

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has suspended four clubs after two scandalous results of 79-0 and 67-0 in a promotion play-off.

    On Monday, in promotion play-offs into the Nigeria Nationwide League, the lowest tier of Nigeria’s domestic Leagues, Plateau United Feeders beat Akurba FC 79-0, while Police Machines FC demolished Babayaro FC 67-0.

    All the teams were involved in promotion play-offs in which the winners would qualify to play in Nigeria Nationwide League Division 3.

    Chairman of the NFF organising committee, Mike Umeh, who is also NFF first Vice President, was alarmed when informed and promptly directed that the four teams at the centre of the scandal be grounded, pending further sanctions on all involved.

    “It is unacceptable. This is a scandal of huge proportions. The four teams involved are suspended immediately and indefinitely, pending further sanctions. We will investigate this matter thoroughly and get to the bottom of it,” Umeh said yesterday.

    NFF director of competitions Mohammed Sanusi assured that the organising committee would mete out severe sanctions on all persons and institutions indicted by the investigation.

    “For now, that centre is suspended. The teams involved, their players and officials, match officials, coordinator and anyone found to have played some role in this despicable matter will be severely dealt with,” Sanusi said.

     

  • As Glo premier League resumes, Clubs advised to shun violence

    As Glo premier League resumes, Clubs advised to shun violence

    Nigerian clubs participating in the Glo Premier League have been advised to shun violence and promote healthy competition as the league resumes officially for the second round on Wednesday.

    Official sponsor of Glo Premier League and major partner of the League Management Company, Globacom, made this call in a statement released in Lagos on Tuesday. The company urged all stakeholders to keep the league alive and make all matches violent free.

    The leading telecommunications operator noted in the statement that the interest of Nigerians in the local league had increased since the beginning of the 2012/2013 season.

    Globacom commended the League Management Company for outstanding organisation and proper monitoring of the league which has so far yielded positive result.

    Meanwhile, fixtures for week 20 matches have been released. ABS of Ilorin will entertain Kaduna United at the Ilorin Township Stadium while 3Sc will host Kwara United at Adamasingba Stadium in Ibadan.

    Akwa United will host Gombe United in Uyo while Wikki Tourists will be home to Lobi Stars of Makurdi.

    In other fixtures, Nasarawa United will be guests of continental campaigners, Rangers in Enugu while Sunshine Stars will slug it out with Warri Wolves in Akure.

    In Owerri, Heartland will host Enyimba in what is expected to be a crowd-pulling Oriental Derby.

    Another match will take place in Port Harcourt between Sharks and its Niger Delta neighbours, Nembe City while Northern rivalry will be rekindled in Maiduguri, where El Kanemi hosts Kano Pillars.

    Bayelsa United of Yenagoa also hosts Dolphins of Port Harcourt in another Niger Delta duel.

  • LMC release funds to develop feeder clubs

    LMC release funds to develop feeder clubs

    The League Management Company (LMC) on Monday said it had released funds to all the 20 clubs in the Globacom Premier League to develop and recruit young talents into their feeder teams.

    LMC’s Public Relations Officer Mike Enahoro told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the release was based on the dearth of feeder teams into most of the clubs in the Globacom League.

    “The release of funds to these clubs is to enable them to fully develop their feeder teams and for those with no feeder teams to develop one.

    “The dearth of feeder teams in the Globacom League is worrisome to the LMC, and we need to release funds for them for effective continuity

    According to him, the future of football will be uncertain without feeder teams in the various clubs participating in the premiership.

    “We understand that clubs have to develop their feeder teams for continuity and growth.

    “We gave clubs a substantial amount of money to cater for their feeder teams.

    “And we are optimistic that they will use the money judiciously for this purpose, Enahoro said.

    According to him, LMC will go from time to time,to see how the feeder teams are faring, and offer advice when necessary.

  • ‘Social clubs agents of change’

    Social clubs have been described as agents of change in the society. They are not formed for dining and wining or to encourage any anti-social behaviour.

    These were the views of the chairman of Fibre Optics Concept and Baylag Communication, Aare Mojibayo Olagunju who has just been elected as the Governor-General of High Society Club of Nigeria.

    According to him, members of social clubs are men of integrity and credible characters who are in various professional, academic and business callings who use the opportunity of their clubs to meet and rub minds with others on socio-economic and political issues.

    On what his group stands for, he said High Society Club is a social group that performs charitable functions. “It is non-political and non-profit making. Members meet regularly to unwind and discuss important issues as they relate to individuals and the society,”he said. The club was founded in 1962 and its membership cuts across ethnic and religious frontiers. The headquarters is located in Somolu, Lagos.

    On his dream for the group, Olagunju said he would bring back the glory of good old days. Speaking further he said, “My major priority is to rehabilitate the physical structures and make them attractive and comfortable for prospective and existing members. My regime will also focus on membership drive, we want to bring back the glory of the club which made prominent musicians like the legendary Tunde Nightgale of blessed memory, King Sunny Ade and Chief Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi visited the place regularly. The club is for all Nigerians irrespective of religious leanings, it is open to academics, professionals and others, young or old who are in lawful business.

    He mentioned limited fund as a major challenge, saying members would be urged to pay up their dues to carry out structural rehabilitation. For instance, we need a standard room for indoor games and other recreational activities,the new chairman added.

    Olagunju appealed for support, saying members watchword should be cooperation, commitment and focus. He added: “We have to tap all available resources to keep our boat floating, steady and faster. All of is should be committed to revenue drive because we need fund for accelerated development”.

  • Kazakhstan, Hungary clubs chase Amuneke

    Kazakhstan, Hungary clubs chase Amuneke

    Nigeria international Kevin Amuneke has been searching for a new team after he was released by Oster last season.

    Allnigeriasoccer.com understands that situation could change in the coming days as the 26 – year – old offensive player has concrete offers from clubs in Kazakhstan and Hungary.

    Also, teams in Russia and Ukraine are mulling over a decision on whether to sign the former FC Porto and Benfica youth – teamer.

    Kevin Amuneke is a typical Nigerian forward with all-round attacking abilities. He is credited with two caps for African champions, the Super Eagles. The globetrotter, in football terms, has played for clubs in Sweden, Portugal, Romania and Bulgaria.

  • Sixteen clubs jostle for Sunday Mba

    Sixteen clubs jostle for Sunday Mba

    Bundelsiga outfit Bayern Leverkusen and Dinamo Zagreb top the list of sixteen teams chasing the signature of Super Eagles latest sensation Sunday Mba according to the Executive Chairman of Delta State Sports Commission, Amaju Pinnick.

    Pinnick told a Lagos based radio station on Thursday the list of suitors for the two-goal AFCON hero was growing by the day and his parent club Warri Wolves will weigh all the offers coming their way before a decision is finally taken.

    “Bayern Leverkusen and Dinamo Zagreb are top on the list but we have received as much as 16 concrete offers for Mba,” the Delta State Sports Boss revealed.

    On Sunday in Johannesburg, the 24-year-old Warri Wolves forward scored the goal that ended Nigeria’s 19-year wait for a continental glory as they won their third Nations Cup trophy at the expense of Burkina Faso.

    In 2008, Mba was close to teaming up with Spanish lower league side Elche, but the deal collapsed after his local club then, Enugu Rangers, demanded too much money.

    The window in Western Europe is shut, but there are still opportunities in places like Ukraine and Russia.