Sports
Supporters’ Chairman Canvasses Dolphins, Sharks’ Welfare
Chairman of Dolphins Football Club Supporters Club, Mr. Otis Asonye has called on the Rivers State Ministry of Sports to look into the problems of players and management of all the state-owned football clubs.
Asonye, made the call yesterday in a telephone interview with Tidesports. He said, it was not enough to pay salaries and sign-on fees to players and coaches and leave the clubs to malfunction.
According to him, the appropriate authority responsible for the clubs should know the internal problems of the clubs with the view to solving them inorder for them to achieve success.
“ I will say that to pay salaries and sign-on fees to players and coaches, are not the only problems of the clubs, there are other problems that the teams are facing, like welfare and motivation, including misunderstandings between the coaches” Asonye said.
He believed that the recent unimpressive performance of the teams, especially, their 1 – 0 defeat by Heartland FC, last Wednesday, in the Federation Cup match was due to lack of motivation.
He said that it was disheartening that the players had not received their sign-on fees and some months’ salaries.
“My brother, this players have their families, most of them are breadwinners in their family, they need to eat and take care of their families.
“How can a player in Premier League be comfortable borrowing, most of the players are really demoralised and you know what that can do to their productivity,” said Asonye.
The Supporters Club boss, continued that one of the ways to get good results from every sportsman was to motivate him or her morally or financially.
He used the forum to appeal to the clubs’ sponsors to ensure that the players and coaches get their entitlements to enable them focus on getting the desired result.
It will be recalled that the new Commissioner for Sports, Hon Fred Igwe last week declared that he would focus on ensuring that athletes’ welfare were given priority attention in the state.
He also promised to ensure that the entitlements owed Sharks and Dolphins FCs were settled sooner than later.
Tonye Orabere
The championship will run from today to October 12 at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia. On the ground for the championship are athletes from Brazil, Peru, Egypt, Cameroon, Tunisia, Nigeria, Mauritius and Rwanda. They arrived on Sunday.
Some of the other countries were expected in the Abia State capital yesterday. Speaking on the championship, yesterday, Abia State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Nwobilor Ananaba, said the chief host, Governor Alex Otti, has mobilised facilities and the personnel to ensure a successful event.
Speaking through the Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports, Raymond Chima Ukwa, said: “We have the best mats, playing mats, especially the wheelchair playing mats, which is the first of its kind in West Africa.
“If you go around, you’ll see the hall and the preparation that has been made to ensure that people have an equitable world-class playing field.” Thrilled by Governor Otti’s support for the competition, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) President, Francis Orbih, said that, besides making all the necessary arrangements that will ensure a successful hosting of the events, “we will have a Para-Badminton workshop for coaches and players.
“Nigeria is doing well, Abia is doing well, and we want to do better to improve on where we are, which is why all these have been put together by Governor Otti.”
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles began their campaign at the 24th FIFA U20 World Cup with a narrow 1–0 loss to Norway on Monday, despite creating several opportunities to level the game.
Norway took the lead in the 9th minute after being awarded a controversial penalty. The Flying Eagles pressed for an equaliser but were denied two penalty claims in the second half.
Kparobo Arierhi came close in the 47th minute when his shot drifted wide with the goalkeeper beaten, while Tahir Maigana struck the upright in the 63rd minute.
Nasiru Salihu’s rising effort in the 71st minute also went narrowly over the bar, drawing gasps from the crowd.
Seven minutes from time, Maigana again tested Norway with a long-range strike that went just wide as Nigeria continued to pile on the pressure.
Despite their dominance, the Flying Eagles could not find the breakthrough and now turn their attention to Thursday’s clash against Saudi Arabia in their second group match.
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