The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Globacom Premier League

  • 2013/2014 Globacom Premier League draw: LMC threatens to dissatisfy clubs over players salary default

    2013/2014 Globacom Premier League draw: LMC threatens to dissatisfy clubs over players salary default

    The League Management Company (LMC) said it would dissatisfy clubs over default in the payment of the agreed N150,000 minimum wage for the Globacom Premier League players.

    The Chief Operating Officer of the company, Salihu Abubakar, disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday after the LMC conducted the draws for the new league season. He said that adequate measures would be taken to ensure clubs comply with the agreement.

    “We will be conducting sports check on the clubs during the season; that means we can go and ask for their books and confirm if the players have been paid. We can dissatisfy the club if it fails to pay its players during the season,’’ he said.

    The LMC’s threat followed the 2013/2014 Globacom Premier League draw conducted on Tuesday which paired pre-season football tournament winners, Enyimba FC against Sunshine Stars FC of Akure.

    The pairing, which looked like the star match of the week, would see Enyimba play their first away game of the season, while Rangers International FC, Enugu would host Nembe City FC. The Globacom Premier League matches expected to begin on February 21 would see league debutantes Giwa FC host Kano Pillars, while Warri Wolves welcome El Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri.

    It would be a battle of the South and North as new comers Abia Warriors play host to Kaduna United, while Akwa United FC play Gombe United in Uyo.

    Bayelsa United and Sharks FC of Port Harcourt would face each other in the battle of the Southsouth, FC Taraba and Nasarawa United would slug it out up North.

    Elsewhere, Heartland FC of Owerri would wait to confront Dolphins FC in Owerri, while Crown FC of Osogbo travel to Makurdi to face Lobi Stars FC.

    The Chairman of Kano Pillars FC, Abba Yola, in an interview with NAN, said their first game against league debutantes Giwa FC was a “blessing in disguise’’.

    “We are happy and excited with the draw, having to play our first match with a newcomer. Away will help us to discover how strong the debutantes and the old teams are,’’ he said.

    The Chairman of Nasarawa United, Isaac Danladi said his team would ensure it picks the three points against Globacom Premier League debutantes, FC Taraba.

    “The league is going to be exciting because I am playing my first match away to FC Taraba and we are looking at that match with great expectation,’’ Danladi said.

  • Enugu team hold Rangers

    Enugu team hold Rangers

    Enugu Rangers got a little setback to their preparation for the 2013/2014 Globacom Premier League season when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Enugu selected side in a practice match played at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium.

    The Flying Antelopes led for most part of the encounter before they conceded a late penalty kick which their opponents converted in the dying minutes of the encounter.

    Rangers finished fifth last season with 58 points from 38 matches and with the acquisition of former Flying Eagles’ boss, John Obuh they are expecting an instant turn around including an end to their 30 years wait for a title.

     

  • Nasarawa Utd sack 13 players, sign 10

    Nasarawa Utd sack 13 players, sign 10

    • Fire assistant coach, goalkeeper trainer

    • Arikya named as stand-in coach

    Ahead of the new Globacom Premier League season, the management of Nasarawa United has declared thirteen players surplus to requirements because of their below par performance in the 2012/2013 season.

    The decision was taken after an executive board meeting which was chaired by the club’s chairman, Barrister Isaac Danladi, to review last season’s activities vis-a-vis programmes for the new season.

    The club’s media officer, Musa Elayo told SportingLife that the board also agreed to keep twenty-seven players for the coming season because of their good conduct and performance.

    Elayo added that two of the players were on probation and they had been sternly warned to sit up and improve on their performances. He said four others would go on loan to interested clubs.

    Nasarawa’s image maker said the club appreciated the efforts of both the players and technical crew for the services they rendered in the 2012/2013 season.

    “The board dwelled on so many issues while reviewing last season’s activities and made so many valuable decisions. The management has resolved to reposition the club in a bid to pick a continental ticket next season,” Elayo told SportingLife.

    “We want to avoid the mistakes of last season, that is why we want to kick-start preparations for the coming season very early. We want to thank everybody who made it possible for the club last season. The board sincerely appreciates Nasarawa State Governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, Deputy Governor, Dameshi Luka, Commissioner for Sport, Angama Weibey and SA on Sport, Silas Agara for their financial assistance and the role played in making sure that the club retained its league status last season. We thank our fans and all the stakeholders for their support.”

    The Solid Miners are expected to resume camping today after the break and Elayo stressed that the club has strengthen the squad with ten additional quality players for the coming season.

    “There are some good players we saw during the season both in the Glo League and the Nigeria National League (NNL). We’ve invited them and some of them will resume training with the old players today.”

    The board also decided to part ways with assistant coach, Silvester Ekoja and goalkeeper trainer, Mike Jatau. They were relieved of their appointments with immediate effect.

    Elayo said the management has drafetd in the club’s feeder team coach, Abubakar Arikya as the stand-in chief coach to recieve the players that will resume today.

    On the possibility of coach, Kadiri Ikhana staying on with the club, he said: “Ikhana still has a contract with the club till December. I don’t want to make any categorical statement on that because we want to respect the contract. Maybe after the expiration of his contract we will speak on the next line of action.”

  • Eguma wants kick-off date extended

    Eguma wants kick-off date extended

    Dolphins manager, Stanley Eguma is adamant that one month will be inadequate for clubs to prepare for the new season.

    Eguma, who was reacting to the decision of the League Management Company (LMC) to start the 2013/14 Globacom Premier League (Glo league) season on November 22, believes a lot more time will be required to prepare the teams physically and mentally for the upcoming season.

    He told supersport.com: “A one-month break will not be enough because it is very important that the players get some time to rest after a long season. Then the coaches and the management need to strategise since the preparations have to do with finance.

    “It is also very important that we regroup at the right time to ensure each member of the team is heading in the same direction and I doubt if all these can be achieved within a month.”

    Eguma also urged the LMC to revisit the live broadcast of Globacom Premier League matches before the commencement of the new season.

    Even though the LMC has hinted there could be as many as five matches broadcast each weekend; Eguma insists the most contentious aspect of the live transmission has yet to be addressed.

    “I hope they have a another look at the live telecast of matches. As it stands, only matches in the southern part of the country are being televised while those in the north are never covered,” he told supersport.com.

    “Why cover some and leave out some others? Where is the fair play in the league? Some stadia are television friendly, while others are not. The standards have to cut across to ensure fairness. I think issues like this ought to be resolved before the start of the new season.”

  • Globacom Premier League Largesse: Commisioner buys new bus for Sharks

    Globacom Premier League Largesse: Commisioner buys new bus for Sharks

    • Ogunbote, Odinga applaud him

    Rivers State Commissioner for Sports, Fred Igwe has presented a brand new bus to Sharks Football Club of Port Harcourt to enable them prosecute their matches in the Globacom Premier League.

    The club’s media officer, Peter Abaje, who confirmed this to SportingLife said the bus was bought with what they got from the League Management Company (LMC) as part of the league sponsorship money from Globacom.

    Players and officials of the club applauded the commissioner for his initiative.

    According to them, Igwe once again matched his words with action by using the N10.5m from the LMC to attend to a need that topped the priority list of the team.

    Technical adviser of the side, Gbenga Ogunbote, who described the branded bus for the team as timely, said the players would be excited about the development and he expected them to reciprocate the gesture.

    “It has happened at the right time, we have waited for this for a long time because its over,”Ogubote said

    He continued: “I’m sure it is going to help the team in so many ways; you want to talk about the comfort of the team, the players will be proud they are travelling in their own bus and it will boost their morale. I hope we’ll be able to reciprocate the gesture.”

    Captain of the side, Odinga Odinga, still savouring his heroics after scoring the only goal that separated his team and Lobi Stars last weekend, said he couldn’t remember the last time a commissioner invested funds in the team. He promised that they would surely return to Port Harcourt with a good result from Kano against Kano Pillars.

    “It a thing of joy. We have been waiting for this bus for long, something that other commissioners could not do.

    “I think this will motivate the boys as we have agreed not to drop points anymore, and with this bus going to Kano, I think we get a result there,” he said.