The Nation Newspaper

Tag: LMC

  • LEAGUE IMPROVEMENT Ogunbote commends LMC

    LEAGUE IMPROVEMENT Ogunbote commends LMC

    Gbenga Ogunbote, Coach of Sharks FC of Port Harcourt, on Tuesday commended the League Management Company (LMC), for the notable improvements in the ongoing 2012/2013 Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) season.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NPFL is currently on a two-week break and will resume on July 3 at the various centres across the country.

    Ogunbote told NAN on telephone that the team’s epileptic start to the season will not in any way dampen their morale in the second stanza.

    He added that the management and players were striving towards the second stanza with great expectations.

    “Our intention is to work harder to improve; we also look forward to the second phase of the league where I sense that Sharks will do better.

    “I must commend the LMC for a job well done; but there is always room for more improvement.

    “There are loopholes, obviously, but I hope something will be done about it,’’ Ogunbote said.

    He also added that the team was doing its best to blend the new players into its pattern of play.

    “We fortified our team earlier; so, I doubt if we will need more new players. They are gradually settling in; but if the need arises, we might look to get one or two,’’ he said.

    Ogunbote, who was a former coach of Sunshine Stars FC of Akure, also told NAN that Sharks would do everything within their means to retain their place in the NPFL.

    He urged the club’s teeming fans to keep faith with the team and not to relent in their support for it.

  • LMC hails NPFL Eagles stars

    LMC hails NPFL Eagles stars

    League Management Company (LMC) has hailed the impact of Nigeria Professional League (NPFL) players in the Super Eagles at the Brazil 2014 FIFA Confederations Cup.

    The Eagles played three games at the tournament winning one – their first against Tahiti – and losing against Uruguay and Spain.

    The acting Head of Media, NPFL, Kasali Obanoyen singled out Godfrey Oboabona, Azubuike Egwueke, Sunday Mba among others for their outing in Brazil, adding that more tune up matches would help groom them to stardom. According to him, this would improve the market value of the Nigerian league.

    “We are happy with the display of our league players. They made us proud with their above average performance.

    “Although we were sent packing in the first round there are so many positives to take out of the bold display of Eagles’ players who are playing in the domestic league.

    “This time last year nobody knew that these bunch of players would be playing in the competition meant for champions of each continent.

    “Oboabona, Egwueke, Mba and others that were taken to Brazil have brought spotlight on the domestic league.

    “With more corporate organisations’ support,we shall go places,” Obanoyen told SportingLife.

    He also noted the importance of today’s meeting between Premier League Clubs Chairmen/League Managers and the LMC.

    Obanoyen identified three issues on the agenda which would put the LMC and the NPFL in good stead ahead of the second stanza which starts Thursday.

    He listed items on the agenda of the meeting to include the review of the first stanza of the 2012/2013 season, preparation for the second stanza and the thorny issue of sponsorship.

    He enjoined the 20 Premier League clubs to suggest ideas that can make the league better.

    The meeting holds today at the West Point Hotel behind the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)’s secretariat in Abuja.

  • LMC meets Club Owners Wednesday

    LMC meets Club Owners Wednesday

      Club Owners/League Managers will have a meeting with the League Management Company(LMC) on Wednesday in Abuja, SportingLife can report.

    The crux of the meeting is the review of the first stanza; the way forward towards the second stanza and the review of the title sponsor of the league which is presently riddled in controversy.

    SportingLife gathered the meeting would hold at the popular West Point Hotel behind the NFF Secretariat while the arrival and departure dates are Tuesday 25th and Thursday 27th June, 2013 respectively.

    The source informed that the July 3rd kick off date of the second stanza remains unchanged and that the meeting billed for the mid week was expedient to ensure that thorny issues between the LMC and the Club Owners are discussed and laid to rest.

  • Alleged use of ineligibilE player 3SC threaten legal action against NFA, LMC, Rangers

    Alleged use of ineligibilE player 3SC threaten legal action against NFA, LMC, Rangers

    The management of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan has reminded Nigeria Football Association (NFA), League Management Company (LMC) and Rangers management about the ineligibility of goalkeeper Emmanuel Daniel yet to be cleared from club.

    The management of Oluyole Warriors alleged that goalkeeper Emmanuel Daniel joined Rangers without due process, stressing that the player has been using for league matches without their permission.

    The club’s Administrative Secretary, Demola Alabi said the decision of the authorities to keep quiet over the issue fuelling speculations that attempts were being made to sweep the matter under the carpet.

    Alabi added that the Oluyole Warriors management would be forced to initiate a legal action if the aforementioned bodies refuse to act on the matter.

    “The NFA, LMC and NPFL are yet to act on the petition sent by 3SC on illegal fielding of goalkeeper Emmanuel Daniel by Enugu Rangers for its confederation and NPFL matches. Three weeks after the petition was sent, the three football governing bodies have not deemed necessary to act on the petition, thus fuelling speculations that attempts were being made to sweep the matter under the carpet.

    3SC management would not hesitate to seek legal means, if the aforementioned bodies fail to act on time,” Alabi letter reads.

     

  • Govs never forced us to accept LMC – club owners

    Contrary to reports in some sections of the media that premier league club owners were overruled by the Governors and were forced to accept the LMC against their earlier stand, the association has described the reports as untrue and misleading.

    Reacting to the reports, Acting Secretary of the club owners, Alloy Chukwuemeka said the acceptance to work with the LMC was borne out of the agreement reached between the NFF and representatives of both club owners and the LMC, where certain contentious issues were resolved in favour of the agitations by the clubs.

    He added that club owners were not at any time forced into accepting LMC because what was paramount to all the stakeholders was the progress of the league not to be interrupted.

    Chukwuemeka however stressed that the cordial relationship which existed afterwards between LMC and club owners was to ensure that we jointly move the league forward within the short time of its existence.

    Meanwhile, the association has cautioned one of its members Fan Ndubuoke over a comment credited to him where he called for the resignation of the two members of the clubs owners who are members of the LMC. Reacting to his comments Chukwuemeka said the outburst by the Heartland boss may be as a result of the tension arising from the match between his club and Sunshine and cautioned him from making incisive comments capable of bringing the game and its stakeholders into disrepute. The club owners also warned him that even though he is entitled to his personal opinions but equally advised him to channel his grievances to the appropriate quarters.

  • LMC to resolve problem of clubs’ indebtedness to players

    The League Management Company (LMC) has acknowledged the growing concern of stakeholders for improved welfare of players and coaches in the Globacom Premier League and has given assurances of its resolve to appropriately address this growing concern for the benefit of the players, coaches and the clubs.

    Chairman of LMC, Hon. Nduka Irabor stated this in response to a letter by the Nigeria Players Union urging the LMC to deduct all debts owed players by their respective clubs from their share of the Globacom title rights fee recently paid by the telecommunications company.

    “The issue of players’ welfare is at the heart of the reforms we are driving at LMC and it is our desire to have all stakeholders come to agreement on how to ensure that players and coaches are made the biggest beneficiaries of the commercialisation of the league,” remarked Irabor.

    While also acknowledging the right of the Clubs as business concerns to determine the wages and reward packages of their staff, the LMC insists that as operators of the Nigeria Professional Football League licence, it will set participatory conditions that will ensure that decent minimum standards are met by the Clubs.

    Towards addressing the challenge of huge arrears of unpaid salaries and sign-on fees of some players and coaches, Irabor said he LMC will initiate a meeting with the Players Union, representatives of players from each of the 20 Globacom League clubs to deliberate on suitable and workable approaches to resolve the issue once and for all. “The LMC will also meet with the Club Representatives to also agree on ways and means to ensure that they meet their obligations to their players and coaches”, disclosed Irabor.

    He said it is the position of the LMC that the raging outcry has once again brought to the fore the need to set up administrative structures such as the requirement for Clubs to provide guarantees of financial viability through bank bonds. “We are working on making a compulsory subscription to Pension Schemes for players by the clubs to be part of requirements to be met by any club as part of the eigibility criteria to participate in the Glo Premier League from the 2014 season”, declared the LMC Chairman.

    He further explained that the Bank Guarantee remains an asset of the Clubs so far they did not default on their obligations to their employees, especially the Players and Coaches. “It will serve as deterrent against the enslaving of players and also as an instrument to enforce compliance with qualifying criteria for continued participation in the League”,Irabor insisted.

    Some players and coaches have been contacting the LMC with allegations of back log of unpaid salaries and sign-on fees dating back to four seasons ago by various clubs.

    Finally, the LMC is appealing to all Clubs in the Globacom Premier League to take steps towards liquidating all debts arising from valid claims confirmed by Arbitration Panels constituted by the Nigeria Football Federation in respect of claims by Players and Coaches.

  • Sponsorship money: LMC to monitor clubs

    Sponsorship money: LMC to monitor clubs

    The League Management Company (LMC) said on Tuesday that the disbursement of sponsorship money to clubs would be monitored, to ensure that players are paid their entitlements as at when due.

    It would be recalled that one of the nation’s telecommunication outfits, Globacom, recently signed a N1.9 billion three-year title-sponsorship deal with the LMC, to inject some funds into the professional league clubs.

    Tunji Babalola, Executive Secretary of the LMC, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the body would ensure that the funds were judiciously applied.

    NAN reports that the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) had been without a title sponsor in the last three years, a condition that did not help the growth of the league. The resultant effect of not having a title sponsor to bankroll the league made things difficult for the LMC to prosecute its programmes.

    “Once the money has been paid to the clubs, there will be a monitoring team to ensure that it is being spent on the players and officials of the clubs. And there won’t be any excuse for any club not to pay when the money has been disbursed, we won’t allow any flop from our side and that of the clubs either,’’ Babalola said.

    The secretary added that sanctions would be meted out to any club that failed to pay their players and officials, as and when due.

    “If we discover that there is any form of compromise, on the part of the club, we will ask questions and effect sanctions accordingly. We are confident that clubs will comply so there won’t be need for any form of sanction,’’ he added.

    On the mode of payment to be adopted for the disbursement of funds to the clubs, he told NAN that the issue was yet to be looked into by the LMC and the club owners.

    “As it is now, I can’t confirm that because the LMC is yet to meet with club managers to discuss the sharing formula, they will hold a meeting very soon. We both have to agree on how and when the money will be disbursed to the clubs,’’ the executive secretary added.

     

  • LMC, Club Owners reconcile

    LMC, Club Owners reconcile

    The friction between the League Management Committee and the Club Managers and Chairmen of the 20 Nigeria Professional Football League ended yesterday after a peace parley initiated by the Nigeria Football Federation.

    The first meeting between the two feuding parties ended in a stalemate but truce was brokered at yesterday’s meeting in the interest of football in the country.

    To demonstrate that all was well between the two parties, Barrister Isaac Danladi, Acting Chairman Club Owners, Hon. Nduka Irabor, Chairman League Management Committee, General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation, Barrister Musa Amadu, Mallam Shehu Dikko (Member LMC) and Alloy Chukwuemeka (Acting Secretary Club Owners) all signed the communiqué released after the meeting held at the Board room of the NFF yesterday.

    These are the other resolutions the two parties agreed on yesterday:

    1. That the LMC welcomes the need to work solely with the clubs in the discharge of the mandate given by the Nigeria Football Federation

    2. To this end there should be a monthly consultative meeting between the LMC and the clubs to discuss about the vision and Policies of LMC.

    3. That the mandate from the Nigeria Football Federation shall continue to govern the activities and the functions of the LMC in line with the terms of reference as provided.

    4. Both parties affirm that work has advanced on creating a sound and ethical corporate governance structure, this structure should provide the guidelines towards electing members of the Board of Directors, with full fiduciary responsibility that will represent the interest of the participating Clubs and General investing public.

    5. Both parties affirm that there is need to amend the memorandum and the Articles of Association to the company to be more expansive in order to accommodate such matters as:

    I. Adoption of a new name for branding purposes

    Ii. Rules of Election to the Board

    Iii. Revenue sharing

    Iv. Corporate Governance

    V. Ethics

    Vi. Fiduciary responsibilities of affiliating members

    Vii. The Rule Book of Affiliations and Regulations Governing the membership of the company

    6. The LMC briefed club representatives on the successes reached in resolving all the sponsorship issues and finding a more balance and equitable contracts for the two major properties for the clubs to make more money.

    7. Both parties agreed that they would continue to rely on the NFF in resolving any other issue that may arise in the course of managing the Nigeria Professional Football League.

    8. Both parties appreciated the efforts of the Honourable Minister and Chairman National Sports Commission, Bolaji Abdullahi, and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for their fatherly role in facilitating and resolving the issues. We also appreciate telecommunication giant, GLOBACOM for their support and sponsorship of the league, just as we thank other Stakeholders for their understanding and general support to develop the league.

  • NPFL In fresh crisis as club owners sack League committee

    NPFL In fresh crisis as club owners sack League committee

    There is tension again in the Nigeria Professional Football league (NPFL) as club owners have sacked the Nduka Irabor led league management committee (LMC), declaring the league management company as an illegal outfit and dissociated themselves from the said company.

    Acting chairman of the club owners, Mr Isaac Danladi announced this in Abuja at the end of an emergency meeting of premier league club owners.

    The club owners also mandated the executive secretary of the premier league, Mr Tunji Babalola to immediately take charge of the secretariat.

    They also ordered the mobilization of secretariat staff to all league venues to take control of activities pending the election of a substantive board for the league.