The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Wolves

  • Warri Wolves players get two days off

    Warri Wolves players get two days off

    The Technical Adviser of Warri Wolves Solomon Ogbeide has given his players two days off to enable them enjoy the Easter holiday with their families.

    Ogbeide however warned that any player who fails to resume on Wednesday afternoon will be sanctioned.

    Coach Ogbeide said this is necessary to refresh them ahead of the must-win encounter against Nembe City FC next week.

    “I decided to give them at least two days off to enable them mix with their families. A player like Ike ThankGod has a new baby and he needs to visit them and see what is happening. Our next game is next week against Nembe City at home, so I have asked them to resume on Wednesday afternoon. But any player who fails to resume on time will have himself to blame.”

    Meanwhile, Super Eagles defender and club captain Azubuike Egwuekwe have appealed to the fans of the club to be patient as they are gradually finding their feet in the five-week-old league. Egwuekwe said they promised the governor a continental ticket at the end of the season and they must redeem their promise.

    “I want to beg our fans to be patient and support us with their prayers. We know what we promised the governor before the beginning of the league and by the grace of God, we shall get there.

    “The coaches are doing their best to correct the mistakes noticed in the few matches we have played. We believe them and are ready to play for them.

    “We have the boys that can do it so we are not afraid of any team provided the officiating is free and fair. So far, so good, the referees are doing well and we only pray they continue like this. It is good for their image too so that we can see them in CAF matches.”

  • We paid Rangers N3.5m for Mba — Wolves

    We paid Rangers N3.5m for Mba — Wolves

    Warri Wolves have claimed they paid 3.5 million Naira (more than $21,000) into a private account of a top Rangers official in respect of the transfer of AFCON star Sunday Mba.

    Warri Wolves’ media officer Moses Etu allegedly said on a radio programme in Enugu on Monday that his club actually paid the sum of N3.5m to Rangers when the player moved to Wolves two seasons ago.

    Etu said that the payment was made to the private account of the general manager of Rangers, Paul Chibuzor, who instructed them to make such payment.

    “We have all the documents regarding all our dealings with Rangers with regards to Sunday Mba. We got a provisional clearance from Rangers on Sunday Mba when he joined us and we paid the sum of N3.5m to Rangers through the private account of the GM of the club, Paul Chibuzor who instructed us to make such payment,” the club official said.

    “It is laughable that after selling a player to us they still come to lay claim to him just because he performed well at the Nations Cup and clubs are after him with mouth-watering offers. We are resolute in our claim that Mba is our player and we are ready to give Rangers the 30% sell-on clause attached to his release whenever we sell him to a foreign club.”

    However, Rangers’ media officer Foster Chime has shot down the Wolves claim.

    “It is stale news. In Abuja, the GM tendered documents and bank tellers with regard to payments made by Wolves. At no time was any money paid in respect of Sunday Mba, but for Togolese defender Busari Akinsola and it was never paid to the GM’s personal account. The G.M has even started legal proceedings against Moses Etu for defamation,” said Chime.

  • Ike worried by Wolves’ stuttering start

    Ike worried by Wolves’ stuttering start

    ThankGod Ike has admitted that he is concerned with Warri Wolves’ poor start to the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) this term.

    Warri Wolves are yet to win a game this season after two matches and occupy the 17th position in the Professional Football League standings on just a point.

    Wolves’ centre-back, Ike, told supersport.com: “Yes I am bothered about the fact that we’ve not won a game yet this season. But it’s still early days and I know we will start winning games soon.”

    The Warri club made the trip to Enugu to face NPFL table-topping Rangers on Monday, getting a goallees draw.

    Ike, however, declared that his ambition this term is “to win trophies (with Warri Wolves) and score goals.”

    Last term, Ike was Warri Wolves’ joint leading scorer on five goals with Jude Aneke.

     

  • ‘Sharks better than Wolves’

    ‘Sharks better than Wolves’

    Sharks chief coach, Ere Dokubo is convinced his side deserved their opening day victory over Warri Wolves in their premiership tie at the Sharks Stadium.

    Wolves cried foul after Kola Anubi’s scrambled effort from a corner in the 81st minute was ruled out and Sharks held on to win 2-1. However, Dokubo, who is also a qualified referee and the chairman of the Rivers State Referees Council, told supersport.com that the officials were spot on with their decision, as they had the power to overrule any goal that infringed the rules of the game.

    “I thought the referee had a good game, but everybody is entitled to their opinion. We scored two good goals and they scored one, because the assistant referee’s flag was already up before the player’s attempt to score the other one they are claiming to be perfect,” he said.

    “The officials had spotted something wrong before the ball hit the back of the net, and for me that was a good decision. I don’t understand what they are complaining about.”

    Dokubo, who was in full charge of the team in the absence of technical adviser, Augustine Eguavoen, expressed satisfaction with the performance of the players.

    “The boys played above average, and I would rate them 60 per cent; the league is just starting and there is the potential for them to forge a better understanding in subsequent matches,” he said.

    It would be recalled that Sharks fans were apprehensive about the performance of the team ahead of the start of the season because so many top players had left. They face a huge test in their next match, which is an away trip to Kaduna United.

  • Warri Wolves ready, says Ogbeide

    Warri Wolves ready, says Ogbeide

    Solomon Ogbeide, Head Coach of Warri Wolves FC, on Wednesday said that the club was fully prepared for the commencement of the 2012/2013 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season.

    Ogbeide told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos that the club had fully restructured the team following the departure of some players during the off-season period.

    “You must have been reading from the newspapers how some players dumped the club for other clubs. We have since brought in new players to fill the void, so that there won’t be any lapses in the team. We have prepared for the incoming season, and we are ready, this is my major task since I joined the club last year, so I am looking forward to it,” Ogbeide said.

    The coach told NAN that he intended to make his mark with Warri Wolves, by building on what his predecessors had bestowed on the team.

    “Well, I intend to give my best, like I have always done, I believe that with the support of the players and the coaching crew, we will make a positive impact this season,” he said.

    NAN recalls that Warri Wolves finished in the 15th position in the 2011/2012 season, with 48 points from the 36 matches it played.

    The development caused the Delta State Government to dispense with the services of the club’s previous board, before engaging Ogbeide on Oct. 28, 2012.