Coach Blames Management For Club’s Defeat

Monday Ojeamor, coach of Aru-Okem FC of Ajegunle, Lagos, has blamed the team’s exit from the ongoing Boska Football Cup on the management’s interference in the selection of players.

Aru-Okem FC were defeated by Amunike FC of Festac 0-2 at the Legacy Pitch, National Stadium, Lagos yesterday.

Amunike, who had two players sent off in the 18th and 43rd minutes of the game, were undaunted and scored in the 10th and 80th minutes.

Ojeamor told newsmen in Lagos that the players were not to blame for the defeat but rather the management for insisting that some unfit players be selected to play the match.

The coach accused the management of not giving him a free hand to manage the team.

“When the players are imposed on you, it is difficult to know how to utilise them to produce positive result.”

Ojeamor also attributed their defeat to the breakdown of the midfield which allowed their opponents to freely make incursions into their danger area.

He commended Orange Drugs Ltd, manufacturers of Boska Analgesic, for sponsoring the competition and giving the youths the opportunity to display their talents.

“Although we are out of the tournament, I am nevertheless happy that at least, some of my players who have not played on astro turf before had the opportunity to do so,” he said.

Moses Odion, a defender in Aru-Okem FC, also accused the team’s management of interference. This, he said, caused disharmony among the players.

“Some players played independent of the coach’s instructions because they were chosen by the team manager, thus we were not coordinated enough.

“And this affected our coordination and we were unable to utilise our advantage of playing against nine players,” he said.

David Etemire, coach of Amunike FC, told newsmen that they won in spite of being two men down due to the players’ intensive training and discipline.

Etemire said: “We have always had intensive trainings that paid off in our match against Aru-Okem despite been without two players.”

In another match, Norison FC of Surulere lost 4-6 to Olubodun FC of Ebute Meta in a penalty shootout after the game ended 1-1 at regulation time.