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Tag: Eguma

  • Eagles’ CHAN ticket thrills Eguma

    Eagles’ CHAN ticket thrills Eguma

    •Salutes players for qualification

    Dolphins of Port Harcourt head coach, Stanley Eguma has thumbed up the Super Eagles’ B team made up of domestic league players for eliminating the boastful Stallions of Burkina Faso last Sunday and picking the ticket to the African Nations Championship(CHAN) slated for Rwanda next year.

    The head coach of the Burkinabe side, Idrissa Toure had boasted before the second leg tie that the Eagles were not exceptional and that they won’t be defeated during the return leg tie in Ouagadougou despite losing the first leg 2-0 in Port Harcourt.

    Eguma told SportingLife that it was impressive of the Eagles that they went to Ouagadougou and still came back unbeaten despite the rant of Traore and that the team’s qualification for the CHAN has given domestic league players more place of pride to lay claim to the senior national team jerseys.

    The Dolphins coach also praised the technical crew of the Eagles led by Salisu Yusuf among others for getting the job done without the presence of the head coach, Sunday Oliseh who is down with ailment.

    “I want to thank the home-based Eagles for shutting the mouth of boastful Burkina Faso without any defeat over the two legs. They didn’t show us the respect at all assuming that they would win the second leg tie when it has not even started.

    “This victory and the ticket to CHAN should also be dedicated to league stars who should not be degraded to their counterparts abroad. They are working hard ans should be  respected,” Eguma told SportingLife.

  • Eguma insists Dolphins not going down

    Eguma insists Dolphins not going down

    Dolphins coach Stanley Eguma has insisted his club will not be relegated at the end of the season.

    Eguma saw his side fall by the odd goal to Sharks in a Port Harcourt derby on Sunday and so remain in the drop zone in 17th place with 34 points from 31 matches, two points outside safety.

    “Things have not been rosy for us. We give our best in every game as you can see, but that luck is not always there for us,” lamented Eguma

    “We still have about seven matches to go. Dolphins are a big side and we know what to do.

  • Eguma: Loss of concentration unsettled us

    Eguma: Loss of concentration unsettled us

    Dolphins head coach, Stanley Eguma has blamed momentary loss of concentration to the side’s defeat at Warri Wolves.

    The Port Harcourt-based side were beaten 0-1 by the Seasiders in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) match day 23 clash at the Warri City Stadium.

    Eguma said the result would have been different if his frontman, Ifeanyi Egwim had converted his  chance.

    “Little loss of concentration caused us the defeat at Warri Wolves aside the penalty we were not given. Egwim got a clear chance to make it count but he did not convert it, Warri Wolves got theirs and they made it count.

    “We have lost the clash, I have nothing to complain further as the players acquitted themselves creditably well. I praise the players for their fighting spirit in this encounter I hope they will be able to reproduce similar performance in our subsequent matches.

    “This type of performance gives me hope that we will overcome the scare of relegation, I’m quite optimistic we will avoid the drop at the end of the season,” said Eguma to supersport.com.

    The defeat at Warri Wolves leaves the Port Harcourt outfit on 21 points from possible 69 in the 23-week old Nigerian top flight.

  • 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.

  • It’s unfortunate that we crashed out-Eguma

    It’s unfortunate that we crashed out-Eguma

    Coach Stanley Eguma of Dolphins FC of Port Harcourt on Thursday, said it was unfortunate that his club crashed out of the Federation Cup competition in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday.

    Eguma told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that they lost 3-4 via penalty shoot-out to Niger Tornadoes Feeder team after 1-1 draw at regulation time.

    “We lost the match; the two teams played well and ended it at 1-1. Penalties settled it 3-4. It ended a game of luck.

    “It’s quite unfortunate, it is a game that we could have won with more than six goals but my players were wasteful in front of the post,” he said.

    According to Eguma, the inability of the boys to finish well in front of the goal cost the club the game.

    “Although we had problems with the pitch; it was not good at all as it was bumpy and did not allow for flow of game.

    “Most of our good and key players sustained injury and were out of the game, and it really affected us,” he said.

    Eguma said that they actually prepared well but that surprises were expected in the Federation Cup as it was synonymous with the competition.

    “We actually prepared well for it this season for better performance and to win the cup but unfortunately a lot of things went wrong against us.

    “Some of the players were injured due to the bumpy state of the pitch and it also contributed to most of the chances we lost,” he said.

    The coach said he was not trying to give excuse on why they lost, as he also acknowledged the performance of Niger Tornadoes Feeders.

    “I must say that our opponents tried very well as they were able to contain us until the end of the 90 minutes game. Luck was on their side to win with penalty,” he said.

    Eguma said they would put their fate in the Federation Cup and prepare well for next season.

    “We will need the support of the management and every stakeholder to put the team together for next season,” he said.

  • Eguma unhappy at AWOL players

    Eguma unhappy at AWOL players

    Dolphins head coach, Stanley Eguma has frowned at the decision of Victor Alegbe and Hope Fibresima who have both gone on Absence Without Leave (AWOL) despite collecting part of the salaries released recently by the Rivers State Government.

    Eguma whose wards have not been firing on all cylinders since the beginning of the season are 18th on the log with 13 points from 15 games.

    Speaking with NationSport in a brief chat, Eguma revealed that unavailability of some of his first team players is giving him goose bumps as he has elected to use some players out of their normal positions in a bid to measure up.

    He said the management is planning to report Alegbe and Fibresima to the League Management Company(LMC) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) about the unwholesome act of the duo who have breached their contract with their truancy.

    Eguma has however charged his players to go all the way for the three points when they host Wikki Tourists in a Glo Premier League Week 16 tie as they could not afford to lose more home points.

    He noted that Tijani Adamu is another major doubt for the weekend league clash with the player still struggling with an ankle injury.

  • Eguma sad as Dolphins’ poor form continues

    Eguma sad as Dolphins’ poor form continues

    Dolphins FC of Port-Harcourt manager Stanley Eguma has expressed a sad reflection on the club’s unfortunate run of form which has seen them drop significant points.

    The latest setback came weekend past playing at home against visitors Giwa FC in a WK 13 NPFL match having lost the previous game away from home in wk 12.

    Eguma told footballlive.ng that the development is bad for his side but expressed faint optimism that the team will work on turning things around.

    “It’s unfortunate that in two home games now, we’ve not been able to pick maximum points and it is not good for our game but I know we’ll work harder to ensure that we gather the team back.”

    The Port-Harcourt-based side’s form has seen them drop deeper into relegation, occupying the last position in the NPFL log having gathered just 10 points from 13 games so far.

    Eguma has steered the team to only one victory in 13 matches having drawn seven and lost five.

  • Sharks, Dolphins no longer attractive, says Eguma

    Sharks, Dolphins no longer attractive, says Eguma

    Dolphins manager Stanley Eguma insists the allure of playing for Sharks and Dolphins is fast disappearing as a result of recent financial troubles.

    The two clubs currently languish in the relegation zone of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) and Eguma reckons failure to strengthen both squads could prove costly in the long run.

    “When footballers hear that players of Sharks and Dolphins go as far as sleeping in front of the Government House (in Port Harcourt) before they get paid, it becomes almost impossible to convince them to join the clubs,” Eguma told supersport.com.

    The trainer however expressed belief that “things will change for the better” with a new administration in Rivers State; sponsors of Sharks and Dolphins.

    “Everybody knows that the new governor of Rivers State, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, is a fan of Sharks and Dolphins. I am sure that now that he’s in charge, things will change for the better and the two clubs will continue to climb out of the relegation zone,” he said.

    “I told my players in our last training session that if we are to escape relegation at the end of the season, drawing matches will not help us.”

  • It’s time to move up the log, says Eguma

    It’s time to move up the log, says Eguma

    •Dolphins rescue accident victims

    Dolphins coach Stanley Eguma insists it is time for his side to move up the Globacom Premier League log.

    Following Dolphin’s draw in Oghara on Sunday against Bayelsa United, Stanley Eguma regretted the two points dropped, saying it was a game his side should have won.

    “Our plan was to win the game, but while we were scoring, the opponents were equalising. We need to work harder so that we can climb up the log. It is something we can do,” Eguma said.

    Dolphins went ahead in the 33rd minute of the game when Emeka Atuloma scored from an easy tap in, after Bayelsa United’s goalkeeper, Paul Godwin failed to hold a cross.

    In the 55th minute, Eric Frimpong equalised for the home side, scoring from a tight angle.

    In the 65th minute, Chidiebere Okolie put Dolphins 2-1 up after he took out two markers on the right flank and curled the ball beyond the reach of the goalkeeper to silence the fans at the stadium.

    But Bayelsa United were not done as Azubuike Okechukwu managed to get his shot from 30 yards in the net after it was deflected in.

    A weakened Bayelsa United coach, Solomon Ogbeide, who was sacked a few hours later, described the goals conceded as bad for his team.

    “Some percentage of football is luck.  We did our best. We had chances and couldn’t convert them. The goals we scored were actually not good and I was not happy about how we applied defensive principles there,” Ogbeide said.

    Dolphins have since returned to Port Harcourt from where they will depart to Calabar today for Wednesday’s Federation Cup game against Inter FC of Enugu.

    Meanwhile, on their way back from Oghara, just before Warri, the Port-Harcourt team’s players rescued a victim of an accident off the East/West road.

    The victim, a male, admitted that he fell asleep on the steering wheel and his Honda car skidded off the road and was a few feet away from entering a river when some bamboo sticks stopped its further progress.

    “We stopped our bus, and our players, team secretary and camera man, along with some passerby who also stopped, helped get the car out. Our bus driver, Wada, drove the car out and the others pushed,”a spokesperson of the club said.

    Luckily the driver of the car was not harmed and there was not much damage on the vehicle.

  • Eguma prepares for life without Eduok

    Eguma prepares for life without Eduok

     

    Dolphinshead coach, Stanley Eguma  is already prepared for life without Emem Eduok in the coming football season.

    As the club prepares for Saturday’s 2nd leg 1st round CAF Confederation Cup clash against Leones Vegetarianos FC in Port Harcourt, Eguma extolled the virtues of Emem saying his departure is a big loss for the club.

    “In football, players come and go and clubs eventually replace those who depart.”

    “The thing is that Emem does not fall in the category of players that you can easily replace. We tried to get Peter Ebimobowei soon after his departure was confirmed but unfortunately for us and fortunately for Peter he secured another deal outside the country which was beneficial to him,” Eguma said.

    Dolphins eventually settled for Christian Pyagbara who crossed from Sharks to team up with the duo of Ifeanyi Egwim and Omo Johnson who were with the team last season.

    “Pyagbara is one player that can comfortably fit into the shoes Emem left behind and I’m happy about it. He has a knack for scoring goals and he did so last season so we hope we will continue that way this season especially in the CAF Confederation Cup.

    “Ifeanyi Egwim has been with us for some time and though he didn’t do too well last season we hope he will pick up this season,” Eguma said.

    “Omo Johnson is another striker we have and I must say we are gradually getting to replace Emem and by the time these players click we may forget the name of Eduok,” Eguma said.