Sports
Rivers United’s Skipper Promises Trophies Haul
Rivers United FC of Port Harcourt’s Captain, Festus Austin has promised the state government led by Chief Nyesom Wike that the team will make the state proud by winning trophies next season, as he apologised on behalf of the players over their unimpressive performance last season.
The skipper further commended the governor for prompt payment of salaries and allowances since he assumed office as governor and his efforts to make the club attain world class status.
He also appealed to the governor through the Commissioner for Sports in the state, Hon. Boma Iyaye to pay the outstanding sign-on fees owed players in 2014/2015 season, saying that the club is aware that the money is owed by the previous administration.
Austin made the appeal in an exclusive interview with Tidesports, yesterday in Port Harcourt, saying that the players are optimistic to make a laudable statement next season.
“I am using this opportunity to formally apologise to the state government and people of Rivers State for our poor performance. We have vowed to make the state proud next season”, Austin said.
According to him, one of the major worries of the players is the money owed them since two years ago that has imposed untold hardship on the players most of the players borrowed with huge interest rate in anticipation of payment soonest.
‘I am sure that next season my players and I will deliver trophies for the state government, because after our stakeholders meeting the grey areas in the team has been corrected.
We also appeal to our sports loving governor, Chief Nyesom Wike to pay the sign-on fees owed the players.
“Honestly that outstanding money owed is actually worrying my players because most of them have already borrowed money with high interest rate, believing that the money will be paid soon, consequently, affecting their performance and psychology”, he stated.
Tonye Orabere
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
-
Politics5 days agoINEC Sets Rivers South-East Senatorial By-Election For June 20
-
Sports5 days ago
Football Pundit Lauds Chelle’s Effort In Monitoring Nigeria League Players
-
News5 days ago
RSG Reaffirms Commitment To Quality Education
-
Niger Delta5 days agoFubara Charges Graduands On Discipline, Professionalism … As IAUE Holds 44th Convoc
-
News58 minutes agoAfenifere Raises Alarm Over Attacks On Oyo Schools …Says Yorubaland Now Under Siege
-
News58 minutes agoFG To Unveil Radio Station For Adult Education
-
News58 minutes agoIsaac Boro Memorial: N’Delta Still Bleeds For Justice -MOSIEND