The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Sharks FC

  • Don’t lose hope, Sharks FC begs fans

    Don’t lose hope, Sharks FC begs fans

    Relegated Sharks FC have appealed to its supporters to keep the faith in their bid to make a quick return to the Nigeria Professional Football League.

    The Blue Angels were unfortunate to have lost out to rivals Dolphins FC to stay in the top flight at the end of match-day 38 last weekend.

    Despite their resurgence under Coach Festus Allen, the club ended up in the NNL despite being tied with the Pride of Rivers (Dolphins) on 45 points.

    According to a message on its official twitter handle, players of the club appealed to fans, government and shirt sponsors, EUNISELL, for their faith in the team for a quick return to the elite league.

    Also relegated to the second tier division are Kwara United, FC Taraba and Bayelsa United.

    Sharks will be competing in the Group B of the NNL in the 2015/16 campaign.

  • Odinga mourns Qacopome

    Odinga mourns Qacopome

    • Sharks FC shocked over demise

    Captain of Sharks FC, Odinga Odinga has said he was heartbroken when he heard of the death of Raymond Qacopome on radio because apart from the outfield players, the Ghanaian goalkeeper was one reason why  watching Sharks play as an upcoming player was always a delight.

    Also, the management and players of the club have expressed shock over the demise of one of its safest hands in the history of the club, Qacopome.

    The Ghanaian goalie, who donned the colours of the Blue Angels in the 80s, was at that time the emotional talked about foreign goal keeper except for his kinsman, Edward Ansari who played for defunct Leventis United and former Iwuanyawu Nationale now Heartland FC.

    Sharks fc assistant coach, Sunny Iseokhoema, who played briefly with Qacopome in 1988 before he left for his native Ghana after a tight contest  for the number shirt of the club with Idah Petersham, described the Ghanaian import as a very easy going person who likes eating kete, a Ghanaian delicacy.

    “I heard of the demise of Raymond Qacopome on a radio programme and truly I was cold to my marrow because he was one of the best, if not the best foreign goalkeeper in the 80s except for Edward Ansari who was more popular because he played for the defunct Leventis United and Iwuanyawu nationale”.

    “Though I didn’t play for long before he left for his native Ghana, Qacopome was a calm person and committed to Sharks pursuit for glory for the brief time”, Iseokhoema said

    He also described Qacopome as a model to keepers such as Idah Peters and Victor Hilary who both joined the team after  winning the  soccer event at the National sports festival in 1988 because instead of seeing them as rivals he encouraged them to fight for his shirt.

    ” Qacopome was a different goalkeeper rather than deny younger goalies a place in the team he encouraged them to train hard so as to give him a fight for his shirt.

    “So I can say Raymond Qacopome was a role model to the likes of Idah Peterside and Victor Hilary as the former went ahead to take over from him at a tender age”, he said

    General Manager of the club, Okey Kpaluku, who never had the opportunity of working with the Ghanaian import before he left Nigeria for  Ghana, said Qacopome will always have a place in the history of the team because available records show that he was dedicated to his duty and always a delight to watch in the colours of Sharks.

    Kpaluku urged the family of Raymond Qacopome to take his demise in good fate and pray that God in his infinite mercy will give his immediate family the fortitude to bear the loss.

    “Though I did not meet Raymond Qacopome in Sharks, when I heard of his demise I had to make calls to find out more about him and was made to understand that on and off the field of play Qacopome, thinks and sleep Sharks fc.

    “On commitment to duty, he gave his all and that was why I said he will always have a place in the history of the club  and I pray that God will give his immediate family the fortitude to bear the loss. We will surely miss him,” Kpaluku said

     

  • Oshaniwa dedicates jersey number to Sharks FC

    Oshaniwa dedicates jersey number to Sharks FC

    After another 90 minutes performance in the Scottish Premier League over the weekend where his side beat visiting Patrick Thistle 3-0, Nigeria international and Heart of Midlothian of Scotland defender, Juwon Oshaniwa said he has settled down to life well after joining during the summer from Israel’s Ashdod.

    Speaking to www.footballlive.ng, Oshaniwa also disclosed that he chose the jersey number 17 because it was the last number he wore in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) playing for Port Harcourt based side, Sharks FC.

    ” I thank God because he’s been my strength all the way to acclimatise and I can only be professional about it. Concerning the jersey number it was the last number I wore at my last club in Nigeria and that was what I demanded when I got here.”

  • Sharks FC sacks coach

    Sharks FC sacks coach

    The management of Sharks FC on Monday sacked the club’s chief coach, Daboere Dokubo, due to strings of bad results in the ongoing Nigeria Professional football league.

    The General Manager of the club, Okey Kpaluku, told newsmen in Port Harcourt that Dokubo’s sack was with immediate effect.

    He said that the club’s assistant coach, Festus Allen, will take charge of the team till mid season, when a technical adviser will be appointed.

    ‘’Its managements decision that Dokubo steps aside.

    ‘’Following Gbenga Ogunbote moving to 3SC earlier this season, we decided to give his assistant (Ere Dokubo) an opportunity to prove himself.

    ‘’Dokubo has had six games in charge and the fortunes of the team has not been the better for it,’’ he said.

    According to the manager, the club has now decided to engage the services of a technical adviser who will be unveiled to the public mid-season.

    ‘’But until then, for the remaining three games of the league and an FA Cup game, Festus Allen would be in charge.

    ‘’He is a Rivers man and also has experience having coached at 3SC and ABS football clubs previously,” he said.

    Sharks, presently bottom of league table, played out a goalless draw at home against Nasarawa Utd in a Match Day 16 encounter.

  • Sharks screen 400 players

    Sharks screen 400 players

    • To sign 8

    • Players owed 4 months’ salary, 23 match bonuses

    Sharks FC of  Port-Harcourt have their hand full during their three weeks pre-season camping in Ijebu-Ode as about four hundred players turned up for trials.

    An official of the club told SportingLife that the players flooded the team’s camp on hearing that the Blue Angels were camping in the City.

    Our source revealed that the club had already retained twenty two among the players that featured for the team last season.

    He added that the management will only need to beef up the squad with additional eight players, stressing that the club will register thirty players for new season.

    “It was a busy camping for us at Ijebu-Ode. We kept having players coming for screening every day. I can tell you that we have up to four hundred players during our three week stay in Ijebu-Ode. We had to accommodate them in our plans because we believe we can see useful players among them. We used some of them for our friendly matches,” a source said.

    “It was a wonderful experience. Interestingly, we only need to sign eight players because we have twenty two players already. We want to register thirty players for the coming season.”

    SportingLife also gathered that the players were still owed four months salaries and twenty three match bonuses as well as signing on fees for last season.

    The coach Gbenga Ogunbote tutored-side won the Gold Cup pre-season tournament during their on Saturday in Ijebu Ode.

    The team is expected to resume training on February 17 to intensifying preparation for the coming season.

    “We thought there would be an election on February 14 that was why we were given a break. But we will return to training on February 17.”

  • Why Sharks fell to Nasarawa-Ogunbote

    Why Sharks fell to Nasarawa-Ogunbote

    Sharks  FC’s  woes on the road continued unabated as the coach Gbenga Ogunbote tutored lads failed to pick a point following the 2 – 0 defeat in the hands of Nasarawa United at the Lafia Township Stadium on Sunday.

    But Coach Baba Ganaru of Nasarawa United described the match as highly tactical attributing the win to determination after suffering their heaviest defeat this season in the hands of Crown fc last Wednesday. Ganaru also praised Sharks for putting up a good fight in Lafia.

    “It was a very good match both teams exhibited tactical play, Sharks played a very good game and you know I have always said it that they are a very good side,”Ganaru said.

    “We suffered our heaviest defeat last week and because of our objective this season which is to play continental football next season I had to do more of psychology on the players and I think our determination paid off.”

    Meanwhile, Gbenga Ogunbote of Sharks fc blamed his side’s loss on their inability to react to dead ball situations as quickly as possible.

    “If you look at the latter part of the game our inability to react quickly to dead ball situations cost us the defeat,if we had reacted quickly we would not have conceded the goals,”Ogunbote said.

    When asked which player is to be blamed for the goals conceded, Ogunbote refused to single out any of his players. He said it was a collective effort.

    “Well, I will not single out any player for the loss because it was a collective effort. Out recovery rate was very bad, we did not get it right today. We will discuss it and I strongly believe that we will get it right in our next game.”

  • Sharks boss confident of good start

    Sharks boss confident of good start

    General Manager of Sharks football club of PortHarcourt, Okey Kpaluku has said he is confident of a good outing in Day One of the 2013/2014 season in the weekend of 21st-23rd February.

    Kpaluku who stated this shortly after the draws for the new season by the League Management Company said the series of pre season friendlies and tournament will put Sharks FC in good stead against CAF Confederations Cup campaigners, Bayelsa united.

    “It is a good draw though it’s like a derby and will be an opportunity for us to put to good use all the preparation we have had,” Kpaluku said

    “It is a must win, as we know fully well that a trip to Bayelsa United is like a home game to us,” he added.

    Kpaluku also insisted that the mandate given to the technical crew led by Gbenga Ogunbote, in the forthcoming season is to win a continental ticket and get the first away win in Yenagoa.

    “The mandate is for the coach to get a continental ticket and a trophy in addition and start the season with an away win in yenagoa,” he echoed.

  • Chan Eagles will beat Morocco — Oshaniwa

    Chan Eagles will beat Morocco — Oshaniwa

    Ashdod Fc of Isreal and former Sharks FC of Porthacourt defender Juwon Oshaniwa has charged the CHAN Eagles to give their all against Morocco as the two teams square up in today’s first quarter-final in the ongoing CHAN tournament in South Africa. Oshaniwa told brilafm.net that he believes the team will emerge victorious and make Nigerians proud.

    “They should just go out there and give all they’ve got and adhere to every instruction given to them by the technical crew and I pray at the end of the day they will come out victorious and make the country proud,” he enthused.

  • Enugu Rangers target continental ticket

    Enugu Rangers target continental ticket

    Enugu Rangers FC have set a continental ticket target for next season, even as the “Flying Antelopes” aim for a top finish at the end of the current campaign.

    The “Coal City” club who defeated Sharks FC 2-0 on Saturday have been gathering points and are already contending for a spot in the continent next season.

    Speaking with Futaa.com from Enugu, the club’s media officer, Foster Chime, reiterated the club’s resolve to secure a continental ticket at the end of the season.

    “”We are looking at the continent already. The team is focused on that and there’s no looking back.

    “We were there this season and want to go back there and we’re hoping that the next two games will determine where we will be” Chime stated.

    Foster also added that preparations are already in top gear as regards their operations for next season.

    After the 2-0 victory in Port Harcourt on Saturday in their week 36 NPFL league fixture, Rangers now sit fifth on the log with 55 points, five behind league leaders Kano Pillars.