Sports
Why I Resigned As Sunshine Stars’ Technical Adviser – Eguavoen
The immediate past Technical Adviser of Sunshine Stars, Akure, Austin Eguavoen on Saturday said he resigned his appointment due to bad attitude and performances of some referees in the local league.
Eguavoen made the disclosure in a telephone interview with the Newsmen in Akure.
Tidesports source gathered that the Ondo State Football Agency had on April 25 in Akure made public the appointment of former Super Eagles’ Chief Coach, Austin Eguavoen, as Sunshine new Technical Adviser.
Also, a former Eagles’ goalkeeper trainer, Ike Shorounmu, was unveiled as the goalkeeper trainer.
The Interim Management Committee of the Ondo State Football Agency led by Gbenga Elegbeleye, former Director-General, National Sports Commission, opted for the choice of Eguavoen and Shorounmu based on their track records in the game.
“We agreed on bringing Eguavoen and Shorounmu on board to handle this club because of the track records of the two coaches.
“We believe they can firstly save the club from relegation as well as fair well in the FA Cup,” Elegbeleye said.
Eguavoen said though, he had promised not to walk away from Sunshine Stars like he did with some other clubs, he was disappointed with some referees’ behaviour.
The ex-Super Eagle chief coach, who did not mention specifically what the referees had done, said that he was now aware why some of his colleagues had turned down coaching in the local league.
“Not all referees are bad, just some of them, it is quite unfortunate.
“I am going to take a rest and think about what am going to do in future, may be not Nigerian Football for now.
“I promised not to leave Sunshine Stars in all fairness; but one need to see what happened while I was in charge of Sunshine Stars.
“The coaches denied us at least one point each in almost all the matches.
“I know the interim committee led by Gbenga Elegbeleye meant well for the team, but some people will not understand or appreciate it.
“I said I would not walk out of Sunshine Stars because for some time now, the league has been okay.
“Look at my mates in the playing days; many of us are coaches, how many of us are in the league?
“Myself, Ike Shorounmu and Ally Agu, some don’t want to coach in the league because of things like this,” he said.
A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.
Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.
“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”
He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.
“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”
“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.
“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.
Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.
The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.
“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.
“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.
Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.
She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.
“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.
The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.
-
Featured5 days agoWASSCE: RSG Distributes Science Materials To Secondary Schools
-
Niger Delta5 days agoFubara Charges Graduands On Discipline, Professionalism … As IAUE Holds 44th Convoc
-
News4 hours agoFG To Unveil Radio Station For Adult Education
-
News4 hours agoIsaac Boro Memorial: N’Delta Still Bleeds For Justice -MOSIEND
-
News4 hours agoFubara, Wife Hail Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Initiative …As Over 6,800 Families Benefit From Largesse In Rivers
-
Maritime2 hours agoCustoms Harps On Human-led AI Governance –As Customs Digital Reforms Generate N230Bn
-
News4 hours agoAfenifere Raises Alarm Over Attacks On Oyo Schools …Says Yorubaland Now Under Siege
-
Maritime2 hours agoProducts, Others, To Arrive Lagos Ports Today — MPA