The Nation Newspaper

Tag: RANGERS

  • Lobi thump Rangers 2-0

    Lobi thump Rangers 2-0

    Lobi Stars ended their six match unbeaten run of Enugu Rangers at the Chief Emmanuel Akume Atongo Stadium, Katsina after the home side defeated the Flying Antelopes 2-0 in a Glo Premier League Week 32 tie played yesterday.

    The Makurdi Bombers shot into the lead in the 39th minute after Rangers goalkeeper Akor Itodo was adjudged to have fallen a Lobi player in the vital area. Lobi was awarded a penalty kick while Akor was given a red card. Lobi’s goaltender, Terkaa Melai scored from the resultant spot kick for the home side’s opener.

    Lobi increased the tally in the 43rd minute after Idakwo Eche got the second goal of the game.

    There was no goal in the second half as Lobi moved to 47 points with a game still at hand-a disputed tie with Nembe City at Omoku.

    The defeat was a temporary setback to the Flying Antelopes who have garnered 14 points from possible 18 before the loss to Lobi. Rangers are on 45 points from 32 games and they will welcome Heartland to Enugu on Thursday in a Week 33 tie.

  • Lobi Stars will spoil Rangers’ unbeaten run – Gbadebo

    Lobi Stars will spoil Rangers’ unbeaten run – Gbadebo

    Lobi Stars central defender, Samson Gbadebo has told Sportinglife that he and his colleagues will send Rangers Int’l back to Enugu empty handed when both teams clash in Sunday’s Week 32 of the Glo Premier League at the Emmanuel Atongo Stadium, Katsina Ala.

    The Makurdi Bombers were beaten 3-0 by Sunshine Stars during the mid-week game at the Akure Sports Complex while the Flying Antelopes recorded a 2-1 victory over Bayelsa United at the Nnamdi Azikwe Stadium, Enugu to extend their unbeaten run to six matches.

    The former Nembe City star told Sportinglife that the team has put aside their 3-0 defeat to Sunshine Stars behind them and are ready to take full points on Sunday.

    “We are in high spirit and we can’t let our fans down at home. The game against Sunshine Stars didn’t go as planned but that won’t stop us from achieving our set objective at the end of the season. In football, sometimes you win and lose some.

    “Rangers have gone six games unbeaten now and they are on top form too. It means they are the team to beat. So we won’t underrate them and we will prepare very hard for the game. But we will hurt their unbeaten run. The lads are rearing to go and nothing can stop us from securing the three maximum points at stake,” Gbadebo told SportingLife.

  • Naira rain for Rangers

    Naira rain for Rangers

    • Players to get enhanced September salary today  

    • Arrears next week  

    • Remaining 15% signing-on fees upper week

    Players of Enugu Rangers will smile to the bank today as they are due to be paid their enhanced September salary, SportingLife can report.

    Rangers’ media officer, Foster Chime, who confirmed this to SportingLife, said the club’s management has resolved to make all the players’ monies available so as to appreciate their efforts and motivate them to do more.

    The Flying Antelopes have rediscovered their form and went six matches unbeaten in their last matches.

    Foster said the management had made an arrangement to ensure that the players get something to smile about every week.

    The club’s image maker also informed that the players would be paid one month’s salary arrears next week.

    The remaining 15% of last season’s signing-on fees would be paid before the month’s end.

    “I am not surprised by our players’ performances because the management has motivated them. They are happy to deliver.

    “Let me tell you that they will get an enhanced September salary tomorrow (today) as directed by the League Management Company (LMC). The state government has approved the enhanced salary and they are going to get it.

    “Again, as you are aware, some salaries were delayed because of the enhanced salary package, so we have made an arrangement to pay all their salary arrears. So, by next week they will get one month’s enhanced salary for March or April.

    “The remaining 15% of their last season’s salary will be paid before October ending. We have already paid 85%.

    “Apart from all these, the club’s chairman has been motivating the players with financial rewards. They got bonuses for the winning and draws. Their match bonuses are regularly paid. So, if you look at all of these you will agree with me that the players have no choice than to perform,” Chime told SportingLife.

    The team is expected to travel to Katsina-Ala on Saturday for this weekend’s league game against Lobi Stars.

    Chime said his side will increase their unbeaten run when they face Lobi Stars on Sunday at the Katsina-Ala Stadium.

    “We want to take our unbeaten run to seven against Lobi Stars by God’s grace. The players are in fine form and we will try and do everything to get a deserved result on Sunday.”

  • Rangers to players: Beat Akwa Utd get N.5m

    Rangers to players: Beat Akwa Utd get N.5m

    Players of Enugu Rangers have been promised N500,000  if they beat Akwa United in Sunday’s Glo Premier League clash at the Uyo Township stadium.

    The club’s media officer, Foster Chime, who disclosed this to SportingLife, said the players will receive N300,000 if they manage a draw against Akwa United.

    Chime said the club’s General Manager, Paul Chibuzor, who has been impressed with the players’ performances so far made the promise to the players.

    The Flying Antelopes have gone four matches unbeaten in their last previous games and the GM wants the momentum to continue.

    “If you can see the way the team is playing now you will agree with me that things are now working for us. We had a shaky start but everything is fine now. We have played four matches without a loss and we want to make it five against Akwa United. The GM has promised to give players N500,000 for a win and N300,000 for a draw. We want to return to where we belong which is at the top,” Chime told SportingLife.

    “I want to also inform you that the state government has so far released 75 percent of last season’s sign on fees in batches and we’ve commenced payment of enhanced salary with arrears in January including match bonuses. So, we are determined and focused more than before now. All the players are fit and we are ready for the match.”

    Rangers are expected to travel to Uyo today ahead of the clash.

  • Obuh confident in Rangers ability to do well

    Obuh confident in Rangers ability to do well

    Enugu Rangers coach, John Obuh has declared that the team will not go on relegation at the end of the season.

    Obuh told FCNaija.com from Enugu that there is no way the club will go down because they have capable players that can lift the team in the remaining matches of the season.

    Rangers are presently in the 16th position on the league table with 31 points.

    “I laugh when I hear people say Rangers might be relegated. All I want to say that the team will remain in the Premier League next season.

    “When you watch our matches in recent times, we have really improved and I know that in our subsequent matches, we will churn out good results that will help us move up on the league table.

    “I am confident that the club will maintain their position on the elite division and our supporters should not panic because all is well with the team,” Obuh said.

    Rangers Captain, Cyril Oriaku revealed that the players are not even thinking of relegation.

    “All we know that is that we are going to finish on a high this season. We have about 13 matches to go and I am optimistic that we can still get some good results especially in our away matches.

  • Pay me my money

    Pay me my money

    •Says Uyo club owe him 3.5m and 3-month salary

    Nembe City returnee striker, Okikimusampa Onomuefe has said he could no longer harbour his feelings over the treatment meted to him by the management of Akwa United over the non-payment of his signing-on fee at the start of the 2013-2014 season as agreed.

    Onomuefe joined Akwa United at the start of the 2013-2014 season but left the club to rejoin his former club at the beginning of the second stanza.

    The former Kano Pillars ace alleged that the Promise Keepers failed to pay him 3.5million naira sign-on fee and three months salaries as promised.

    Onomuefe has so far made three appearances for Nembe City since his returned to the team with one goal to his credit in a game against Rangers on Matchday 21 at the Krisdera Hotel Stadium.

    He stressed that all efforts made to collect the money have been proved abortive, adding that the club chairman has refused to pick his call again.

    “It obvious they don’t want to pay me my sign-on fee which is 3.5million naira and three months salaries,” Okikimusampa told sportinglife.

  • Rangers slash Obuh’s July pay

    Rangers slash Obuh’s July pay

    •Players grumble over high tax deduction

    Rangers coach John Obuh has had at least  N600,000 sliced off his July salary, just as his players are now likely to go on half pay.

    Obuh is on about N1.4 million a month, but has been placed on half pay after the team’s poor run towards the end of the first round of the league season.

    He was also handed a four-game ultimatum for the second round and he has so far won one (2-0 vs El Kanemi) and lost the other (2-1 vs Nembe City).

    Officials have also said the players may now be placed on half salary this month if they failed to step up their game.

    In the meantime, the players, who have received their enhanced salaries of June, have been grumbling over the higher taxes they now have to cough out.

    Most of the players had as much as N18,000 deducted from their salaries, when they previously paid N2,000 as tax.

    “When did they start collecting N18,000 as tax from me?” questioned a baffled player.

  • LMC clears Rangers, Enyimba, five others

    LMC clears Rangers, Enyimba, five others

    The League Management Company (LMC) has announced that Enugu Rangers, Enyimba and five other clubs have been cleared after fulfilling all financial obligations to their players.

    According to information gathered, the latest clubs to be cleared are – Heartland, Sunshine Stars, Enyimba International, Warri Wolves, El-Kanemi Warriors, Rangers International and Lobi Stars.

    They joined Kano Pillars, Abia Warriors and Bayelsa United who were the first to be cleared by the league’s governing body earlier in the week, kickOffNigeria.com reports.

    All 20 clubs in the Glo Premier League had at the start of the season received N10 million each from the LMC as the first installment of the “Basic Award,” and the LMC had said they could receive more in the course of the season if they are found to have complied with requirements.

    To this effect, only debt-free clubs as well as those who have complied with the N150, 000 monthly minimum wage will benefit from the Basic Award. Indebted clubs will also be prevented from operating in the mid-season transfer market.

    “We have created these procedures to protect players from the previous tales of unpaid salary arrears and will be working with the clubs to ensure overall improvement of players’ welfare,” chief operating officer of the LMC, Salihu Abubakar, disclosed.

    He, however, revealed that Gombe United, Sharks and Giwa FC were refused clearances after documents they submitted indicated that they pay players below the minimum wage.

  • Enugu govt releases N50m to Rangers

    Enugu govt releases N50m to Rangers

    • Flying Antelopes players, coaches get relief funds

    Players and coaches of  Enugu Rangers will approach their second stanza premier league opener against El Kanemi Warriors with all their might after the state government released N50million as part payment of the N200million budgeted for the season.

    The Flying Antelopes’ players have openly engaged in strike action owing to the debt the club owed and the coaches too have allegedly grumbled too in demand of their monies.

    The club’s director of media and publicity, Foster Chime revealed to SportingLife that the Enugu State government under the able hands of Governor Sullivan Chime has released N50million out of the N200million projected for the season and that the players and coaches have been paid part of their debts as motivation ahead of the tie with El Kanemi Warriors.

    “I can tell you that Rangers have received N50 million out of the N200 million and part of the cash has been shared to all the players and coaches to serve as a morale booster ahead of the second stanza,” Chime told SportingLife.

    Rangers placed 15th at the end of the first stanza with 24 points from 19 matches and they are up against El Kanemi Warriors who are three steps above them on the log with 26 points.

  • El-Kanemi captain out of Rangers’ match

    El-Kanemi captain out of Rangers’ match

    • Team arrives Enugu today

    El-kanemi’S long severing captain Bamai Bukar has been ruled out of Sunday’s week 20 Glo Premier League tie against Rangers International at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.

    Bukar told SportingLife that he has some family issues to attend to.

    “I will not be in Enugu for our match against Rangers. I would have loved to be in the match but I have a family issue to attend to. I have informed the management and they’ve given me permission to stay behind,” Bukar told SportingLife.

    “I want to use this medium to thank the management for their understanding, Insha Allah I will be back for the next game. I am with the team in spirit and I will be praying for them. The spirit in the team is high and we will get a draw in Enugu if not a win. I am not underrating Rangers but I have confidence in the players that will make the trip to Enugu,” the midfielder said.

    The players and officials of the team will arrive in Enugu this morning ahead of tomorrow’s game against Rangers.

    SportingLife understands that the team left Maiduguri on Friday and passed a night in Makurdi before heading to Enugu this morning.

    According to the club’s welfare officer, Ba’aji Hassan, the club travelled with new signing Oyekachi Okoye  and Eugene Obi.

    He added that the Flying Eagles duo of Ifeanyi Mathew and Sulieman Abdullahi will be available for the match.

    “We are well prepared for this match, we are also coming with two of our new players,” he said.