Sports
Gombe United Drops Eight Players, Recruits 11
Gombe United have terminated the contract of eight players mutually and have recruited 11 new players with a view to having a turnaround second round of the league when it resumes on May 21.
The affected players are Bala Mohammed, Fabassou Diedonne, Nura Mohammed, McDonald Igbokwe, Franklin Matibel, Nnamdi Ebosie, Samuel Agba and Chidera Ejiuke while Evans Iyoro, Tijani Adamu, Joseph Onoja and others have been bought to take the place of those the management and board of the Desert Scorpions has deemed surplus to requirements.
The assistant general manager, Media and Publicity, Tanimu Umar explained that the management board of the club made these changes in order to strengthen the team and also motivate the players ahead of the start of the second round on May 21.
“The management of Gombe United has approved the recruitment of 11 players while eight players were asked to leave by mutual consent. We are not happy at the level of our performance in the first round,” Umar told newsmen
“We want a changed performance in the second round and the instrument needed to get the job done has been provided the coaches.”
Gombe United are 18th on the log with 22 points from 18 matches and will conclude their first round fixtures on Wednesday with a home tie against Enugu Rangers in a rescheduled tie.
Vice president of the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC), Chief Solomon Ogba, foremost Sports Marketer and founder of Okpekpe Road Race, Mike Itemuagbor and top Sports Journalist and Media Strategist, Mitchel Obi have lent their voices in support of the Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF).
The personalities with backgrounds in sports administration, marketing and media spoke separately in commendation of the festival, an initiative of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) with Dunamis Icon as consultants.
“This is a positive addition to the evolving sports business ecosystem because it is not just a springboard for identifying talents, it also offers a platform to truly hone the skills of those already discovered”, remarked Obi, who served as Special Advisor to a former Sports Minister, late Anthony Ikhazabor.
He said the festival will be a flagship event in the region that would trigger interest in sports among the youths and people of the region.
Edo State-born Itemuagbor commended the NDDC for the decision to add sports in the list of their intervention projects in the region, adding that: “This speaks directly to the problem of youth restiveness which is of great concern to our people.”
Raphael Onyedika has now emerged as a major doubt for the Super Eagles’ must-win 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe later this month.
The midfielder was forced out early from last week’s league game against Standard Liege.
He has not recovered from the injury and so will miss today’s league match against Gent and may also miss a UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash against Aston Villa yesterday.
The Super Eagles take on Rwanda in Kigali on March 21, before they face Zimbabwe in Uyo four days later in crucial World Cup qualifiers.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Al-Khalood defender, William Troost-Ekong, has shared his experience on the difficulties of winning the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) while describing it a must win trophy.
The former Watford FC defender has competed in the tournament three times but has yet to lift the trophy.
“I’ve been there three times now, bronze medal, silver medal, but I haven’t had the chance to win it. That remains my ultimate goal,” he told Tidesports source.
“It means so much to me and all the kids growing up in Africa and Nigeria.”