The Nation Newspaper

Tag: dolphin

  • Dolphins new boy, Obinze excited over Sunshine win

    Dolphins new boy, Obinze excited over Sunshine win

    Dolphins’ new boy, Godwin Obinze could not   hide his excitement after Wednesday’s 1-0 win in Port Harcourt against Sunshine Stars.

    Dolphins laboured and finally got their breakthrough in the 55th minute when full back, Jonathan Zikiye curled a free kick over the wall and beyond the reach of the goalkeeper.

    “I am happy with this win because I see my football career as starting with Dolphins,” the former Yobo Academy player said.

    “I have had three games so far, a draw, a loss and this win so I cannot hide my excitement. In fact I feel like taking off my shirt screaming and running away,” Obinze exclaimed.

    But Godbless Asamoah got the first clear cut chance to put Dolphins up as early as the 16th minute when he rose highest to head a cross from Chigozie Ihunda but missed the target by inches.

    At the half hour mark, Oghogho Oduokpe was freed by an Isiaka Olawale pass but his shot sailed wide off the mark.

    It was not all about Dolphins in the first half as the visitors had a chance to open scores in the 38th minute when a seemingly harmless attempt was spilled by Sunday Rotimi but Musa Newman blasted the rebound wide off the mark.

    In the last 10 minutes, it was all about Sunshine Stars but a mixture of profligacy, clumsy attacking and luck ensured that the score line remained 1-0.

    Sunshine Stars coach, Kennedy Boboye said after the game that his side came to Port Harcourt to get a win or draw but were unlucky.

    “Dolphins did well, but we came here for a win or draw. We missed some chances but that’s football,” Boboye said.

  • LMC sanctions Wikki Tourists, Dolphins’ Coach Eguma

    LMC sanctions Wikki Tourists, Dolphins’ Coach Eguma

    Wikki Tourists FC and Dolphins FC coach, Stanley Eguma have  been charged and levied varying sanctions for breaching sections of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL)  Framework and Rules by the League Management Company (LMC) in the latest disciplinary decisions announced on Thursday evening following review of reports of Match Day 22.

    Eguma was found guilty of making unfair criticisms against the match referee and officials of Abia Warriors FC and failing to conduct himself in a professional manner by the League Management Company (LMC) which has consequently cautioned him with a fine and a suspended match ban.

    The coach was subsequently ordered to pay a fine of N200, 000 and placed on a suspended two match ban which will automatically come into effect should he commit similar rule breaches in the course of the 2014/15 league season.

    The LMC ruled that based on a similar breach on Match Day 4 for which the coach was fined N100, 000 and suspended for one match; he has been placed on a probation sentence of double the earlier sanction but can choose to accept the ruling or elect to appear before a commission so far he will communicate his choice in writing to the LMC within 48 hours of the notice of summary jurisdiction.

    Wikki Tourists are being sanctioned for unruly conduct of their fans during and after the Match Day 22 fixture against Nasarawa United that saw the fans throwing objects onto the field, harassing the two teams and stoning the vehicle of the visiting team.

    The LMC’s latest disciplinary measures announced by Chief Operating Officer, Salihu Abubakar read, “by virtue of the provisions of article B13.22 (disorder), B13.23 (violent supporters) and B15.16 (club liability for the conduct of its supporters), the Board now intends to exercise its summary jurisdiction and to impose on you the following sanctions.

    “A fine of N500,000, payment of N100,000 as damages to Nasarawa United FC, and playing your next home match (Match Day 24 against Abia Warriors FC on August 19, 2015 behind closed doors (i.e. in the absence of fans)”.

    Abubakar said the LMC is determined to enforce all aspects of the reforms initiated to build a league that meets globally accepted standards and give optimum value to paying fans and commercial partners.

    “We have introduced regulations to make the league safe and attractive to the millions of football loving Nigerians and commercially viable to our investors”, Abubakar said.

  • Festus Austin returns to training

    Festus Austin returns to training

    Dolphins hard  tackling central   defender, Festus Austin says he is back in training and  ready to get back on the pitch with the club once again.

    Austin cracked his shin during a league game against Warri Wolves last year, two games after he returned from a year-long injury.

    He had cracked the same shin two years ago in a league game and was out of action for a year; then he returned for a league game in Enugu against Rangers International before cracking the shin one game later in Warri against Warri Wolves.

    “I have started training on my own and I am right now waiting for the team doctor to give me the go ahead to join the players on the pitch. I will meet with him soon. I have just started gym work because I need to gain some strength pending when the doctor confirms I can go into full training,” Festus said.

    The former Bendel Insurance defender said he first feared for his career when he was being taken off the pitch last year on a stretcher.

    “I was not happy when I first got injured and when I was taken off again, I thought it was the same fracture that reoccurred. I later found out it was the same leg but not the same place so I relaxed a bit because I knew what I went through with the first one,” Austin said.

    Festus joined Dolphins from Bendel Insurance in 2008 as fourth in the centre back order behind Tochukwu Okolie, Chimezie Nzewi and Emah Godwin but he soon started playing regularly, took a first team shirt and became a main stay in the Dolphins defence.

  • Dolphin return not true — Abubakar

    Dolphin return not true — Abubakar

    • I’m still a free-agent

    Ex-Dolphins Chief Coach, Hassan Abubakar has denied reports linking him to a return to the Garden City team.

    Abubakar, a former Eaglets coach stated that: “There’s no such news.

    “Am not surprised as this is the transfer window, they could be reports cooked up by the media. Mind you I take no offence for that, as I have always had a good relationship with the sporting press ever since I started my coaching career.

    “Yes, my one year contract ended at the end of last season, but I must confess that even as my stay was short with Dolphins, I had a nice time and a good rapport with the players, coaching staff and management. So it was not that I was relived of my post what so ever.”

    The former JUTH FC boss who is based in Kaduna went further to say that: “Even as I have turned down one or two offers that I considered not suitable for me, I am still a free-agent.

    “In a nut-shell, I’m open to any move to either a Globacom Premier League or Nigeria National League team once am been contacted.

    Recall Abubakar helped coach Stanley Eguma to guide Dolphins to a 9th place finish on the 2012/2013 season table with 53points.

  • Dolphins drop 12, keep Okwara, Egwim

    Dolphins drop 12, keep Okwara, Egwim

    The coaching crew at Dolphins have kept faith in the likes of Fred Okwara and Ifeanyi Egwim, the joint top scorers for the club in the league last season, while dispensing of the services of 12 other players.

    The Stanley Eguma led coaching crew decided to retain 23 of the 35 players registered by the team for last season’s campaign.

    Top of the list of retained players are Fred Okwara and Ifeanyi Egwim while the team’s captain and longest serving player, Sunday Rotimi also has another season to play.

    Rotimi joined Dolphins from Sunshine Stars in 2004 and has remained with the club since then, save one season in 2005 where he had a stint in Israel.

    Emem Eduok,Isiaka Olawale, Omo Johnson and Naseem Abutreika were also on the list of retained players.

    Emeka Atuloma who joined up in 2009 will also feature for the Port Harcourt side next season,as will Olewezi Johnson and Derek Amadi.

    Other retained players are seventeen year old Daniel Israel, Festus Austin, Victor Ezuruike, Baker Ebimaowei, Joseph DaoHadji, Chizoba Amaefule, Chidiebere Okolie, Hassan Hussein and Austin Brown.

    Others are Osaro Nwafor, Monday Finma and Eze Chidiebere.

    Biggest name that will be missing on the roster of the team for the next season is Victor Babayaro who has been with Dolphins since 2005.

    Babayaro played 291 times for the club in all competitions during his time and was hoping to hit the 300 appearances mark for the team before he was said to be surplus to requirements by the coaches.

  • Igwe commends Sharks, Dolphins FC

    Igwe commends Sharks, Dolphins FC

    At the start of the 2012/2013 season, so much was expected from Sharks FC and Dolphins FC of Port Harcourt. But at the end of the season, while Sharks survived the drop on the eve of the last round of matches, after languishing at the bottom of the twenty-team table, sisters club, Dolphins had to wait for a final day victory over Wikki Tourist to beat relegation.

    Despite the performances of both teams which were devoid of continental silverware, Rivers State Commissioner of Sports, Hon Fred Igwe has expressed delight in the players, technical and administrative managers of both teams for keeping the teams in the elite league.

    “Though I had expected a ticket to continental football from either of the teams but that did not happen be as it may, I’m still happy they finished in the top ten bracket of the twenty-team table, don’t forget four teams were relegated,” Igwe said.

    “I commend the management of both teams most especially Sharks for fulfilling the promise they made when they were going through bad times that the team will not be relegated,” he stressed.

    “Sharks was work in progress last season and I expect the management to keep the bulk of the players that helped to turn the fortune of the team around and that means, they must as a matter of necessity win a ticket for the state next season. Same goes for Dolphins who must take a shot at continental glory because they have won virtually all the available trophies in the country.

    “Once again, I’m happy with what you have done, (management of both teams) but you have to redouble your effort by bringing quality leg to the team to ensure better appearance next season,” he said.

  • Festus roots for CHAN invitation

    Festus roots for CHAN invitation

    Dolphins’ Austin Festus says he deserves a call up into the domestic Super Eagles’ team preparatory to the African Nations Championship (CHAN) slated for South Africa amidst confusion trailing the eligibility of most of the players currently in the team.

    Some of the players are all angling for lucrative moves to European clubs and the squad may be depleted before next January when the competition will kick off in South Africa.

    The team’s defence arrow head, Godfrey Oboabona just completed a switch to Turkey, Azubuike Egwueke, Sunday Mba, Gambo Mohammed, Benjamin Francis among others have all been linked to overseas move.

    Festus in a brief interview with SportingLife said Eagles’ head coach, Stephen Keshi would do well to look inwardly to pick players that would better provide the right alternatives for these players.

    “The African Nations Championship is holding next year and most of the players in the present team are eyeing movement to Europe. We can’t stop them from not going because it is the ultimate of every player to go abroad.

    “We have able replacements here and coach Keshi should beam his searchlight on the league to invite those ones with experience. I am willing to help Nigeria make significant impact at the CHAN in South Africa,” Festus, the former U23 invitee told SportingLife.

    His view was also corroborated by some Port Harcourt fans who spoke with SportingLife.

    They chose to speak anonymous and they have all endorsed the Dolphins of Port Harcourt’s defender for an invitation to the Eagles team for the CHAN preparation.

  • Dolphins use league largesse to buy bus

    Dolphins use league largesse to buy bus

    Rivers State Sports commissioner, Fred Igwe has presented a new bus to Dolphins Football Club.

    Dolphins have not had a bus for about three seasons and the club had resorted to hiring for away games in the league.

    General Manager of the club, Dumbor Awanen said the money used to purchase the bus was what the club received from their share of the League sponsorship money.

    “I can confirm to you that we now have a bus and that the money did not fall from the sky.

    “You remember that we received N10.5 million as our share of the League sponsorship money just last month and we put that money into good use.

    “We must thank the sports commissioner who was wise enough to suggest and also agree to put that money into proper use,” Awanen said.

    Title rights holders of the league, Globacom recently remitted N1.9 billion as sponsorship rights for the league and after sharing the money for the first season each club got N10.5 million as their share for the first year.

    Dolphins is the first club to have announced how they spent their share of the League sponsorship money.