The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Warri Wolves

  • Warri Wolves picked

    Warri Wolves picked

    Top officials of the Nigeria Football Federation have revealed that Warri Wolves will be the fourth team to fly Nigeria’s flag on the continent next season.

    There has been controversy over who would take the continental ticket after Enyimba finished second in the League thus picking a CAF Champions League ticket and relinquished their CAF Confederation Cup ticket after they won the Federation Cup.

    Three seasons ago, Warri Wolves benefitted from a dubious NFF decision that saw Sharks denied a CAF Confederation Cup ticket after emerging as Federation Cup beaten finalists with eventual winners Dolphins emerging double champions.

    However, the NFF instead of handing Sharks the ticket for the Federation Cup, awarded Warri Wolves the fourth continental ticket after they finished fourth on the Premier league table.

    “If there was a mistake in the past, we will not continue in the error. The rules are very clear on who represent countries on the continent,” a top NFF official said.

    “When the winner of the Federation Cup wins the league or finishes in the CAF champions League region, then the Federation Cup runners-up gets the ticket if so presented by the National association, so I don’t see any form of controversy here. It is simple and clear who picks the fourth ticket.”

  • Gbolahan claims Sunshine contact

    Relegated 3SC striker Gbolahan Salami has said he has been contacted by former club Sunshine Stars ahead of next season.

    The Akure club have now joined the likes of Bayelsa United, Warri Wolves and Enyimba who wish to sign the Shooting Stars forward.

    “Sunshine’s team manager has called asking me to play for them, but I told him I cannot decide on my own as I have to discuss this with my manager, who knows the best for me,” Salami informed MTNFootball.com.

    The former Nigeria U-20 star further said he will rejoin Shooting Stars training on Monday as ordered by new coach Franklin Howard.

    “I am still loyal to my club 3SC and so I will resume training with them for the new season because I am still their player and will rather wait till things work out,” he said.

  • Warri Wolves in talks with Aibogun

    Warri Wolves in talks with Aibogun

    • Akpokona too

    Warri Wolves are currently engrossed in serious negotiations to bring back Paul Aibogun as the new technical adviser of the Federation Cup runners up.

    SportingLife gathered that the light complexioned coach who was the immediate past chief coach of Enyimba is already in Warri to tidy up grey areas in his contractual details with the Warri side.

    An authoritative source revealed that the management of the club acknowledged that the soft-spoken gaffer did a wonderful job in his first stint at the club hence the plans to bring him back to continue from where he stopped the last time.

    “Paul is right now in Warri to seal negotiation with the management of Wolves which will eventually lead to his handling the team.

    “We had fond memories of his exploits the last time he was here and it was unfortunate that he didn’t stay longer to fully impart his philosophy on the team”

    It is understood that when both Aibogun and officials of Wolves finally reach an agreement on a contract, the former South Africa-based handler would then be officially unveiled to the media and fans of the club.

    Aibogun coached Wolves a few seasons ago but left in circumstances many considered to have been shrouded in mystery because he purportedly left to be closer to his family in the UK only to be seen coaching a South African club thereafter.

    Meanwhile, former Enugu Rangers coach, Lawrence Akpokona is also tipped to join Aibogun in the crew of Wolves in a capacity that officials are brainstorming to decide.

    It was scooped that the two tacticians may be placed on the same level since they all have been head coaches of high profile Premier League teams in the past with Aibogun occupying the technical adviser position.

    “Akpokona’s deal is almost done but you know he is a big coach and that’s why officials are trying to work out the modalities for the two coaches to work together without any form of acrimony” the source said.

  • Warri Wolves want to win for fans

    Warri Wolves want to win for fans

    From Tunde Liadi,Owerri  Warri Wolves have advised ABS to concentrate on their survival battle than the club’s media outburst that they would beat the Seasiders today.

    The Ilorin side are convinced they would escape the drop after today’s round of matches and they have been speaking about it without let-up.

    But Warri Wolves’ media officer, Moses Etu has stated that ABS should forget about getting any point at the Warri Township Stadium today because the players have assured that they would beat their opponents to appease the fans for their disappointing display in the league this season.

    Etu disclosed that ABS came at the wrong time and that the Seasiders would not spare their visitors at all as they want to end the season with a flourish.

    “ABS should forget about getting a point at Warri. We are poised to beat them on Sunday (today). We are unconcerned about their media rant. It is so unfortunate they have come to Warri when we want to win this game for our fans.

    “They are still not happy with us that we lost at home to Akwa United. We are winning this game for them,” Etu said.

    Wolves are seventh with 52 points from 37 matches while ABS are 13th with 50 points from 37 games too.

  • ABS’ Suleiman gingers mates to go for victory

    ABS’ Suleiman gingers mates to go for victory

    From Tunde Liadi,Owerri

    ABS’ defensive midfielder, Ismaila Suleiman has charged his colleagues to go all out for a win against Warri Wolves and guide the Ilorin side to premier league safety in the final game of the Glo Premier League season slated for today.

    The Ilorin side must beat Warri Wolves at the Warri Township Stadium if they want to remain in the elite division but Suleiman has enthused that the task won’t be difficult if the players are ready to proverbially laid down their lives for the cause of ABS.

    “We all know the reason why we have come to Warri and we don’t need to be told at all. We must stick together and fight as one to ensure that we beat Warri Wolves. The odds we may say something differently but if we are confident of what we can do, Warri Wolves can be surmounted at their backyard,” Suleiman said.

    ABS are 13th on the log with 50 points from 37 matches but they could still be relegated if they lose at Warri today and their nearest rivals get positive results.

  • Sports Advocacy Group canvasses fair deal for Warri Wolves

    Sports Advocacy Group canvasses fair deal for Warri Wolves

    As the Organising & Disciplinary Committee (O & D) of the Nigeria Football Federation get set to take decisions on cases of abandoned/inconclusive matches in the on-going Globacom Premier league season, Grassroots Football Study Initiative (GFSI) has called the football authorities to give Warri Wolves FC, a fair hearing.

    Rising from an emergency meeting, Grassroots Football Study Initiative, a non-governmental organisation committed to fair play and global best practices in the game of football, is irked by what it described as “selective justice” in cases involving Warri Wolves FC in the country’s elite division.

    In a press briefing yesterday in Asaba, the Delta State Capital, the Executive Chairperson of the Group, Mrs. Sophia Odogwu said they are perturbed at the impunity with which home teams take laws into their hands and get away with it.

    Odogwu said after a careful analysis of events as they unfold in the country’s football arena, the group was convinced that it amounted to double standard if El – Kanemi FC and Sunshine Stars FC respectively were awarded three points against their opponents for football violence while Warri Wolves FC is being ordered to do a re-play when fans of Kwara United FC beat up a referee to pulp during a match.

    The group is forced to believe that there is a gang-up by some powerful forces to bring Warri Wolves FC down as the rules are being selectively applied, and in the process throwing Nigeria football into abyss.

    According to Odogwu, the whole world is watching as Kwara United FC feels that it can ride on the back of the Sports Minister for a soft landing. The Group believes the Sports Minister, who witnessed the ugly incidence in his home state during the said match will not do anything that will rubbish his transformation agenda in the Sports industry.

    Meanwhile, the Group has called on stakeholders to prevail on the handlers of Warri Wolves FC to take the matter to the highest football levels, that is, at the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) and even FIFA, if the decision of the Organising& Disciplinary Committee is anything short of Warri Wolves FC being awarded the three points at stake. An order to Warri Wolves FC to do a re-play is injustice carried too far, the statement concluded.

  • Warri Wolves to fans: We have overcome our challenges

    Warri Wolves to fans: We have overcome our challenges

    Losing finalists of the 2013 Federation Cup, Warri Wolves have pleaded with their fans to be patient with them after the Seasiders lost further ground on the league table with the home draw against Lobi Stars.

    Wolves entertained the Makurdi Bombers barely three days after the exhaustive Federation Cup final which they lost on penalties to Enyimba of Aba and they couldn’t put their acts together in the goalless tie at the Warri Township Stadium.

    The club’s media officer, Moses Etu told SportingLife that the club had overcome the painful loss to the Aba Millionaires and are looking forward to a good result against Kano Pillars in Kaduna tomorrow.

    He said they got the directives to head for Kaduna from the League Management Company(LMC) after the league body banished the reigning league champions to a neutral venue after the alleged crowd violence during their Matchday 31 Glo Premier League clash with Enyimba.

    He assured Wolves fans that the Seasiders have resolved not to stumble again till the end of the season in the league. Etu opined that the club’s continental ambition still remains intact despite their recent challenges.

    “We are gradually overcoming our challenges. The players have fully recovered from the loss to Enyimba and the draw at home to Lobi Stars. We are going to Kaduna to face Kano Pillars full of optimism that we shall come back with positive result to calm the nerves of our fans. We understand how they feel. We still have the ambition to qualify for the continent and it is still our number one motivation.

    “We have been told to go to Kaduna. It is the match venue for our game with Kano Pillars. We will not entertain anything to the contrary,” Etu told SportingLife.

    Warri Wolves are 8th on the log with 46 points from 31 matches while their hosts, Pillars are third with 51 points from 31 games too.

  • Ogbeide predicts penalty shootout in Fed Cup decider

    Ogbeide predicts penalty shootout in Fed Cup decider

    Warri Wolves coach, Solomon Ogbeide, has said penalty shootout will decide the winners of the 2013 Federation Cup.

    The Seasiders will confront two-time Cup winners, Enyimba in the final billed for the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos on Sunday.

    Supersport.com reports that Wolves devoted quantity time perfecting penalty kicks in the side’s training session on Saturday’s evening at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

    Ogbeide said he is not leaving any stone unturned in the bid to ensure his side win this year’s Federation Cup at the expense of the two-time African champions.

    “I won’t say for sure that the match will end in penalty shootout. I remain an optimist but something inside me is telling me the encounter might end that way.

    “So what we did was to prepare for everything, as a coach I train my wards for the unseen, the unexpected so that when the unexpected happens you won’t be found wanting.

    “Nothing happens in football by magic, you must train for the known and unknown as well as anticipate everything.

    “Surely, Enyimba must be tired of trophies. This is our turn to shine though we’re not unmindful of the fact that every football game is a big competition, “supersport.com quoted Ogbeide as saying on Saturday.

     

  • Cautious Warri Wolves beat Gombe United 1-0

    Cautious Warri Wolves beat Gombe United 1-0

    • Seasiders fix eye on Fed Cup final

    • Etebo hits 12th goal of the season

    Warri Wolves played to avoid serious injuries but still beat Gombe United 1-0 at the Warri City Stadium yesterday.

    In the matchday 30 Glo Premier League clash, it was Super Eagles’ player, Oghenekaro Etebo’s goal in the 71st minute that seperated the Seasiders from the Savannah Scorpions.

    Wolves now have 45 points from 29 matches while Gombe have 43 points from 30 games.

    Etebo’s goal made him level on same number of strikes with Bishop Onyeudo of Enyimba(12 goals) and Sunshine’s Dele Olorundare who has also banged in 12 goals before his switch to Europe.

  • France slams embargo on Warri Wolves’ players

    France slams embargo on Warri Wolves’ players

    The unfortunate botched deal of Super Eagles’ mercurial midfielder, Sunday Mba to C.A. Bastia of France, may now have an adverse effect on other Nigerian footballers wanting to ply their trade in the French League as an embargo is underway to restrict them.

    2muchsports.com reliably gathered that the Football clubs in France have reacted angrily to the cover up story that they had planned to enslave the Super Eagles’ AFCON hero in the contract with C.A. Bastia and are now putting plans in place to ban Warri Wolves’ players, and by extension, Nigerian players from playing professional football in France.

    Warri Wolves had stated recently that they had to halt the planned transfer of Sunday Mba who was on the verge of signing a contract with the French team because they discovered that the contract was meant to enslave him.

    The French Football Clubs Association, however, have expressed disgust with such claims, stressing that statements like that are capable of tarnishing their image as a reputable league and has stated that the Warri-based club is not trustworthy of doing business with and would no longer want to have any further dealing with any player coming from the club to France.

    Though, the news making the rounds is that the sharing formula put together by Super Eagles’ Coach, Stephen Keshi and Warri Wolves Chairman, Amaju Pinnik had been the clog in the wheel for Mba’s much anticipated move, the talk about enslaving the player may be a cover up move.

    The fans of Bastia had thronged out to welcome the Africa Cup of Nations hero to their city when he arrived last week as they screamed his name every time he was seen through the window of his hotel room: “We love Sunday Mba” and “Welcome to Bastia Sunday Mba, we love you,” they shouted.

    A very distraught Mba, who had already begun to feel at home with hope that the deal would pull through, has since returned to the country to team up with his teammates in preparation for the crucial World Cup qualifiers against the Flames of Malawi at the U J Esuene Stadium, Calabar on Saturday.