The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Sunshine Stars

  • NO ROOM FOR DISTRACTIONS –SUNSHINE

    NO ROOM FOR DISTRACTIONS –SUNSHINE

    SUNSHINE STARS Football Club of Akure will continue to pursue its ambitions of doing so well in the on going Nigeria Professional Football League, instead of listening to detractors. According to a statement by the media officer of the team, Wahab Bankole, the two time semifinalist in CAF organised competitions will not join issues with anybody, group of people or teams.

    The team media officer who is also the Special Assistant on Media to the Chairman of the Ondo State Football Agency, Hon.Akin Akinbobola advised the chief coach of Warri Wolves, Paul Aibogun to concentrate on his team instead of laying blames on match officials.

    According to him, the coach and management of Warri Wolves have done a good job to assemble great players who are capable of winning the league title.

    Bankole who was reacting to statement credited to the Warri Wolves coach after his team lost 2-3 to Sunshine stars in a week six match in Akure said the Ondo State Football Agency being led by Hon. Akin Akinbobola is determined to always set high standard for others to follow in the area of administration and management.

    He added that Sunshine stars coach, Henry Abiodun and the Team Manager, Gabriel Aborowa are working hard to build a team capable of conquering Nigeria and Africa.

  • Sunshine Stars in auto crash

    Sunshine Stars in auto crash

    At least five players are critically ill in hospital after a Sunshine Stars bus was involved in an accident on Friday.

    MTNFootball.com gathered that Sunshine players were on their way from a training base in Ijebu-Ode to Akure when the accident occured.

    Sunshine striker Dele Olorundare confirmed the accident, but said he was not on the bus and so could not offer more details.

    The team bus was a complete wreck as the front was mangled, the wind screen completely shattered in a road mishap involving another vehicle.

    Efforts to reach many of the players on telephone were unsuccesful.

     

  • Amidst exist rumour: Bosso resumes at Bayelsa United

    Amidst exist rumour: Bosso resumes at Bayelsa United

    By Taofeek Babalola

     

    Bayelsa United Technical Adviser, Ladan Bosso has returned to work with Restoration Boys in preparation for the 2013/2014 season.

    The former Kano Pillars coach arrived in Yenagoa on Sunday from Minna after a three-week break.

    Bosso has been linked with various clubs after the end of the season but his arrival has brought an end to his exit rumour.

    It was gathered that Sunshine Stars of Akure and Enyimba of Aba are looking for his signature.

    The club’s media officer, George Ameli told SportingLife that the Minna-born coach was in a relaxed mood when he re-join the team.

    “Coach Bosso came back to Yenagoa on Sunday after the break. We are aware that he is wanted by some clubs but I want to tell those clubs to look elsewhere,” Ameli said.

    “Coach Bosso has the mandate to take the club `to the continent which he has successfully done and it is only logical to continue where he stopped from last season. If not for what happened in Gombe during the last match of the season, Bayelsa United would have won the league.”

    Bayelsa United finished the 2012/2013 season on third position with 61 points and qualified to play in the CAF Confederation Cup.

    Ameli added that the club will do everything within its reach to compete well both in the league and the CAF Confederations Cup.

    “We will prepare well for the season and we will ensure that we make the country proud.”

  • Ogunbote open to Sunshine Stars return

    Ogunbote open to Sunshine Stars return

    Coach Gbenga Ogunbote has told futaa.com he is open to coaching any team that needs his services including his former club, Sunshine Stars of Akure.

    Ogunbote, who was formerly in-charge of the Akure Gunners before heading to Port Harcourt to handle Sharks FC again, described as untrue insinuations in some quarters that he harbours some sort of bitterness against the Ondo State-financed team.

    “There is no fight between me and Sunshine Stars, I only decided to step aside for others to have their try. If the club (Sunshine) say they want me back when I am free, I will definitely consider them as long as they accept my terms” Ogunbote told futaa.com

    The fortunes of Sunshine Stars have since been dwindling since the departure of Ogunbote as the team moved from being continental campaigners to relegation battlers.

    A source in Sharks FC has however told futaa.com that they will surely keep Ogunbote for at least another season.

  • Clubs scramble for Rangers ace Chibuikem

    Clubs scramble for Rangers ace Chibuikem

    Champions Pillars, Bayelsa United and Sunshine Stars are among the clubs after Rangers striker Meshack Chibuikem ahead of the new season.

    Chibuikem, who joined Rangers mid-season on loan from Egyptian club Smouha Alexandria, scored four goals including the winner against El Kanemi on the final day of the action this past season.

    He came off the bench to cash in on a defensive blunder to score the match winner, which he dedicated to his late mother, who he had buried a day earlier.

    “I will take my time before I take a decision on my future. It’s possible I could stay at Rangers if they come up with a good offer,” the 23-year-old Chibuikem told MTNFootball.com.

  • Sunshine fans deny calling for Amoo’s sack

    Sunshine fans deny calling for Amoo’s sack

    The entire membership of the Sunshine Stars supporters club as well as the fans club have denied calling for the sack of Sunshine Stars’ technical crew headed by Fatai Amoo and some top officials of the club.

    Reacting to a story posted on social media, facebook, in which it was stated that both the supporters club and the fans club were clamouring for the sack of the coaches, the two bodies described the report as untrue and figment of the writers’ imagination.

    While dissociating itself from such calls in a statement jointly signed by its chairman and Public Relations Officer (PRO), Emmanuel Oduyi and IK Victor, respectively, the uniformed supporters club expressed its belief in continuity which the club said helped Kano Pillars in retaining the league title.

    ”We in the supporters club wish to declare that never did we call for the sack of the technical crew of Sunshine Stars or any official of the club, we know it is the handiwork of some people within who are working with some outside forces to cause confusion in the club.

    ”What Sunshine Stars need to excel next year is to retain the coaches for continuity sake and to recruit good legs which was the club’s major undoing in the just concluded season.

    ”The team needs quality players to contend for the league shield and that was our cry right from the beginning of the 2012/13 season and we hope the coaches would have learnt their lessons and shop for good players ahead of the incoming season,” stated the statement.

    The Akure based side barely survived the drop from the elite league this season having finished with 52 points, a development which did not go down well with their followers, hence the call on the coaches to recruit experienced players to beef up the team ahead of the next season.

  • Sunshine Stars, 3SC lied, Adeshina too

    Sunshine Stars, 3SC lied, Adeshina too

    SUNSHINE Stars management has lampooned the Oyo State Commissioner for Sports, Dapo Lam Adeshina for politically interfering in Sunday’s Week 30 game which was abandoned by Shooting Stars after first half score was 2-1.

    John Abalaka, the media representative to the Akure Gunners said: “It’s a shame that a commissioner wanted to drag the Globacom Premier League to the mud, and really he politically interfered into the game but his antics and that of his team failed to hold water.

    “Let me start by saying that the goals were good ones as Gbolahan Salami started the mild trouble when he lost his cool towards a ball boy immediately after the match official sent the players to the dressing room.

    “Knowing him to be hot headed, an official of Sunshine walked up to him and advised that he be professional about his dealings as he can’t spoil the fun of the derby.

    “The next we heard was the Oyo Sports Commissioner saying at the VIP Box that his team cannot continue with the game as a missile was thrown at him more so the clubs’ cameraman had been beaten by some thugs.

    “A couple of minutes later after enough persuasion from the match commissioner, Patrick Pascal, Adeshina who agreed to allow his team continue with the game, then said the camera had been damaged that it was not long functioning as he feared the life of his team.

    “Really and quoting the words of the match commissioner in his post match chat, Adeshina is a kill-joy as he really reduced his office to put the league to disrepute.

    “If truly, 3SC claim that their sports commissioner was left in a coma, and their camera damaged, they should please provide evidence.”

  • Sunshine Stars coach accepts sack

    Sunshine Stars coach accepts sack

    Abimbola Samuel has said he bears no grudge with anyone over the decision by Sunshine Stars to relieve him of his duty as the head coach of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) club.

    Technical committee chairman, Honourable Akin Akinbobola in a media chat on Tuesday in Akure announced the sack of Abimbola thereby severe their relationship with the gaffer.

    Assistant coach, Napoleon Aluma has been asked to take charge of the team pending the appointment of a substantive coach as other members of the technical crew are placed on an indefinite half salary.

    Akinbobola said the club management is apprehensive that the side may not pick a continental ticket under Abimbola following weeks of poor results as well as poor working relationship with his assistants and players hence the decision to relieve him of the job.

    Abimbola joined the side in November 2012 after the erstwhile coach, Gbenga Ogunbote resigned his appointment with the Akure Gunners.

    Though the former Gateway FC coach admitted not to have received a formal letter of his disengagement he however said his only regret over his sack is the inability to accomplish the task he set for the side in the ongoing 2012/13 NPFL season.

    “I don’t have any regret or do I bear grudge with anyone over the alleged sack report as I’m yet to be issued with any disengagement or sack letter. The only regret would be the good people I’ll miss and the inability to meet set target for the side.

    “Mark my word, I didn’t promise anybody the league title in the 2012/13 NPFL season but position not lower than fourth on the log. That’s why I’m amused with the sack report because nobody has at any time issued me a query or have I done anything to warrant sack.

    “Maybe poor performance has been given another meaning by the management of the side. I’ve won six matches with the side and I don’t think the club have performed poorly so far. I’m convinced no team could justifiably at the moment lay claim to the leadership of the league, so every team have a chance at leading or even going ahead to win the title.

    “I have a contract with the team and it spells out due procedure of disengagement, I challenge the management to issue me with a formal sack letter. Of course, I won’t fight them over who to sack or not to sack rather take it in good faith, walk away and wish them well,” said the former City Of David (COD) United head coach to supersport.com.

    Sunshine Stars have garnered 21 points from a possible 45, five behind leaders, Heartland.

  • Sunshine Stars places Onobi on work without pay

    Sunshine Stars places Onobi on work without pay

    The management of Sunshine Stars International Football Club of Akure, has wielded its axe yet again on their defensive midfielder, Paul Onobi for act of indiscipline.

    The workaholic former Enyimba International ace was slammed with an indefinite work without pay sanction.

    He was reported to have headed straight for the dressing room after he was substituted in last weekend tie against ABS FC of Ilorin haven played for 28 minutes.

    The Akure Gunners considered the players’ unprofessional act as public disgrace not just to the team management but, also to the number one citizen of the state, Dr. Segun Mimiko, who was physically present at the Akure Township Stadium .

    “Paul Onobi, has been placed on work without pay suspension, the sanction will be indefinite until the club observes that he has shown remorse, then the management can call to meet and take decision on him. But, for now, he is on suspension and if he cannot comply he is free to leave the club,” a no nonesense Rasheed Shodiya Balogun, team manager informed.

    The management also warned that any erring player will be fined heavily and also urged the players and officials to buckle up in their quest to win the league.

  • Sunshine Stars lose points to El-Kanemi

    Sunshine Stars lose points to El-Kanemi

    Sunshine Stars failed to secure a point as they lost their Nigeria Professional Footbal League match-day 12 game 1-0 to El-Kanemi in Maiduguri.

    A second half goal by the Northern side saw them beat the CAF Champions League semi-finalist on Wednesday.

    The result has increased El-Kanemi winning run to four this season, and ensured they now have 15 points from 12 games.

    The Maiduguri side have drawn three and lost five games.

    Sunshine, who occupied the third spot on the league table prior to the game, remain on 18 points with five wins, three draws and four loses.