The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Wolves

  • Wolves confirm Shola Ameobi interest

    Wolves confirm Shola Ameobi interest

    Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Kenny Jackett has confirmed that the club are interested in signing free agent Shola Ameobi.

    The 33 – year – old Ameobi recently trained with fellow Championship side Huddersfield Town but it appears the John Smith’s Stadium outfit are dilly – dallying on offering him a contract.

    Speaking to reporters after yesterday’s 0-0 draw with Brighton at Molineux, Jackett said that he will start running the rule over the former Nigeria international in the coming days.

    “He is going to train with us but it is early in the process, ” Kenny Jackett stated, according to Wolves’ official Twitter page.

    Shola Ameobi scored 79 goals for Newcastle United before departing Tyneside after the 2014 World Cup.

  • Wolves boycott training over wages

    Wolves boycott training over wages

    Players of Glo Premier League side Warri Wolves have stayed away from their first training of this week in protest of unpaid wages, supersport.com has been informed.

    Wolves edged Wikki Tourists 1-0 on Sunday courtesy of a first-half goal from the spot by Nigerian international Gbolahan Salami, but on Monday the players agreed to stay away from their training.

    The players claimed  they are owed five months’ worth of salaries, eight match bonuses and 15 per cent of their signing-on fees from last season. They added that they are yet to get a single per cent of signing-on fees for this season though the League Management Company (LMC) and the top flight clubs agreed on abolishing the signing-on fee policy for an improved monthly salary.

    “We are already in the second round of the season and the number of games remaining are just 13 and before we know it is the end of the season and at that point it will be difficult to claim such money as the experience has always been.

    “The only payment we got this season as salaries was in June when we were paid two months and after that nobody has explained or told us when we will be paid the remainder of our five months  salaries. Most of us are family men and soon our children will be returning to school,” Wolves players told supersport.com.

    Another influential player remarked: “Right now we are demanding that we are paid not just the outstanding five months salaries and bonuses but we want them to pay us our signing-on fees too before we resume training of any kind.”

    Wolves have an away game on August 30 when they will face Heartland at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri but the players insist that they deserve to be treated better.

    “We are doing well this season and yet nobody thinks it is good for us to be motivated by paying us what we agreed with them as salaries and signing-on fees,” said one of the players earlier quoted by supersport.com.

    The players were asked why they have not taken the matter to the league body, the LMC, but one of them said: “You want them to witch-hunt me. That is why we do not even want our names to be mentioned in this interview or else that will be trouble.”

    Wolves are currently in third place on 44 points, four behind league leaders Enyimba.

  • QPR TO POUNCE ON WOLVES’ IKEME

    QPR TO POUNCE ON WOLVES’ IKEME

    English Championship side, Queens Park Rangers, are looking to sign Nigeria Intrnational goalkeeper, Carl Ikeme from fellow Championship side, Wolverhampton Wanderers amids fear over their goalkeeper Robert Green’s future.

    In 2010 QPR’s decision to sign the goalkeeper was scuppered when he signed a new deal to stay at the Molineux.

    The 29-year-old was called up to the Nigeria squad this week for their African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Tanzania on September 3, however, he was surprisingly dropped for the Wolves game with Hull last weekend in favour of Arsenal loanee Emiliano Martinez.

    QPR have concerns about the future of Rob Green, who has been discussed by West Ham again this week.

    Ikeme declared his allegiance to Nigeria some years ago and will now challenge Nigeria captain Vincent Enyeama for a place in the side.

    But that didn’t mean he wasn’t unsure of the validity of the phone call that informed him of his first ever Nigeria call-up.

    “When the message and the phone call came I thought someone was winding me up to start with,” he said.

    “I spoke to the coach and it started to make more sense and I realised it was none of my cousins winding me up or anything like that.”

    Ikeme said it was a ‘no-brainer’ to accept the call-up as he has close ties to the country.

  • Lawal rues dropped points against Wolves

    Lawal rues dropped points against Wolves

    Giwa FC left-back El-Shittu Lawal is optimistic that his team will still be in contention for the Glo Premier League title despite dropping points at home to Warri Wolves on Sunday.

    The Jos-based side had to come from a goal down to earn a point in a rain-soaked encounter at the Rwang Pam Stadium in Jos in a match day 22 fixture.

    Warri Wolves were without the services of Azubuike Egwuekwe, Abu Azeez and the departed Daniel Akpeyi but started the better of the two sides.

    Joseph Osadiaye scored for the visitors in the 4th minute after Giwa piled pressure on Warri Wolves in the opening exchanges.

    Ocheme Edoh equalised for Giwa FC on the hour mark to earn his side a share of the spoils.

    Lawal, though ruing the lost chance to add more points on deck, insists they are still focused on the league title.

    “It’s unfortunate we dropped points against Warri Wolves but we are focused on the next game against Sunshine Stars. We tried our best but it just wasn’t to be. Wolves are a good side but we would have won if we took our chances,” Lawal told supersport.com.

    “The rain also didn’t help at all because the ball wasn’t bouncing well and movement was a bit hard. I actually thought the referee will call the game off but he didn’t.

    “Our focus now is the away trip to Sunshine Stars. We hope to do well there to keep our chances of grabbing the league title alive.”

  • Wolves add to Taraba’s misery

    Wolves add to Taraba’s misery

    Warri Wolves upstaged hosts Taraba 2-1 on Thursday in a rescheduled week 18 game of the Nigeria league in Makurdi to compound the woes of the Jalingo club who are rock bottom of the table.

    Wolves are now eighth on the league table with 26 points from 16 games, while Taraba are bottom with 13 points.

    Gbolahan Salami and Sikiru Adewale Alimi were the goal scorers for Warri Wolves.

    Salami has now scored seven goals in this campaign after he rejoined Wolves following a failed move to Europe.

  • Wolves are great, says Leopards goalie

    Wolves are great, says Leopards goalie

    Players and officials of Congolese club, AC Leopards, have voiced their admiration for Warri Wolves after their 4-3 aggregate victory over the Nigerian club.

    A spirited second half display by Wolves saw them win 3-1 on the day but lose out over two legs after a 3-0 reverse in the first leg in Dolisie.

    The AC Leopards players and staff were seen consoling the crest-fallen Nigerian stars who had collapsed on the pitch after the final whistle of an emotionally and physically-draining game at the Warri City Stadium on Saturday.

    Goalkeeper of AC Leopards, Ngome Lawrence, paid tribute to the Nigerian side which he charitably described as “great.”

    “They (Warri Wolves) are a great side and I don’t know what would have happened if we hadn’t scored early in the second half.

    “To be honest, winning the first leg 3-0 helped us a lot and that is the main reason we qualified.

    “If they (Warri Wolves) continue like this, I am sure they will win this competition in the years to come,” an exhausted Lawrence told supersport.com.

    The shot-stopper then took the time to assess the chances of his side in the competition which has now reached the group stage and will see them come up against some of the more fabled sides on the continent.

    The Congolese club have been drawn to face Orlando Pirates, Zamalek/SM Sanga Balende and ASEC Mimosas/CS Sfaxien in Group B of the competition.

    “Right now,we are not thinking of who we will play in the group stage of the competition.

    “We dropped out of the Caf Champions League so we are not scared of any side we’ll face,” he said.

  • Wolves’ stars turn to national duties

    Wolves’ stars turn to national duties

    After their exit from the 2015 CAF Confederation Cup, Warri Wolves’ top stars will turn to national team duty ahead of the AFCON 2017 and All African Games qualifiers.

    The quartet of goalkeeper, Daniel Akpeyi, right full-back, Solomon Kwambe, central defender and club captain, Azubuike Egwuekwe as well as striker, Gbolahan Salami, return to the Super Eagles’ camp to join their colleagues.

    All four players started Saturday’s match against AC Leopards with Salami scoring a brace in the 3-1 victory.

    Ironically, Egwuekwe’s clearance from a pull-out went into Akpeyi’s net to earn Leopards the all-important away goal.

    The Eagles play Chad on Saturday, June 13 as the race for the 2017 Afcon begins, in Kaduna.

    Wolves’ third goal scorer, Oghenekaro Etebo and Freeborn Omofoman also return to boost the Samson Siasia-tutored Under-23 side.

    Etebo and Omofoman are key players in the Dream Team.

  • Salami emerges Wolves’ top scorer

    Salami emerges Wolves’ top scorer

    Nigeria international Gbolahan Salami has emerged top scorer for Warri Wolves with five goals despite the elimination of the Nigerians from the 2015 CAF Confederation Cup.

    Salami scored a brace in Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Athletic Club Leopards to take his tally in the competition to five.

    “I’m happy with my goals, but it wasn’t enough to take us through. We lost the match in the first leg. Our best couldn’t get the ticket to the group stage,” Salami said to supersport.com.

    Salami expressed disappointment at the failure of the team to reach the group stage of the competition.

    In the first round victory over Ethiopia’s Dedebit, Salami scored once and recorded a brace against Congo DR’s MK Etancheite in the second round.

  • Egwuekwe: Wolves are ready for Leopards

    Egwuekwe: Wolves are ready for Leopards

    Ahead of their CAF Confederations Cup clash against AC Leopards of Congo this weekend, Warri Wolves defender Azubuike Egwuekwe has talked up their chances for the game.

    The 25-year-old central defender says they’re prepared for the challenges that the Congolese will pose when both sides face off on Sunday.

    “I’d say we’re very prepared. We know the competition would get tougher as we progressed so we have been expecting games like this.

    “Mentally and physically, we are in top shape,” he said.

    The Super Eagles defender also says they’re confident of securing a good result against the Leopards, as they have been very impressive away from home in the competition this season.

    “The results we have gotten away from home this season have given big confidence and we know we can go away and win or draw at the very least. So I’d say very prepared and the confidence level is quite high.”

    The Nigerians are yet to lose an away game in this season’s competition, as the draw against Dedebit of Ethiopia remains the only dent in a campaign that includes wins at Etanchiete (DR Congo), and Racing Club De Bobo (Burkina Faso).  They are the only Nigerian team left in continental competitions this season.

  • Okocha inspires Wolves

    Okocha inspires Wolves

    Former Nigeria captain, Austin Jay Jay Okocha, has been identified as one of the driving forces behind the impressive run of Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) club, Warri Wolves this season.

    Wolves are the only Nigerian club still in the running for continental success this season.

    Victories over RC Bobo Dioulasso (Burkina Faso), FC Dedebit (Ethiopia) and FK Étanchéité (Congo DR) have seen Wolves reach the play-off rounds of the competition.

    They will now face Congo DR club, AC Leopards for the right to play in the group stages of the competition and Wolves’ captain, Goodluck Onamado has now identified Okocha’s contributions as one of the positive influences to the clubs positive run thus far.

    “Jay Jay has been great to us. Since he became the Chairman of the Delta State Football Association, he has not stopped helping us, the players.

    “He encourages us all the time, tells us to play for our country and plan for life after football,” Onamado told supersport.com.

    Onamado’s position was buttressed by the club’s head coach, Paul Aigbogun.

    “I was with Okocha in the UK for an NFF programme recently and I can tell you that he’s a top, top man.

    “He’s held in great esteem by even men like (Arsenal manager), Arsene Wenger because he’s a great world star.

    “Okocha regularly takes time to speak to the boys and it has really encouraged them a great deal.

    “Hopefully, this will help us in becoming the first Nigerian club to win the CAF Confederation Cup this season,” he said.