Sports
Lobi Stars FC Slashes Manager, Assistants’ Salaries
Nigeria Professional Football League side, Lobi Stars, has placed technical adviser of the club, Kabiru Dogo, and his assistants on half salary after their Aiteo Cup round of 16 loss to Bayelsa United today in Owerri.
Bayelsa United, who plays in the Nigeria National League emerged 2-0 winners to book a quarter-final spot in the competition at the expense of their more illustrious opponents.
The club’s management, who frowned at the team’s performance, placed the coaching staff on half salary and a two-match pay-cut with immediate effect.
According to a statement by the club’s media officer, Austin Tyowua, the players face similar fate as they were given a two-match ultimatum with half pay.
Tidesports source gathered that, Lobi Stars vice chairman, Tama Aondofa, who addressed the players and officials in Makurdi, expressed concern over the poor away results recorded by the team and their recent ouster from the Aiteo Cup.
Aondofa also observed that there was lack of commitment to work by the technical crew and players, and urged them to sit up henceforth.
“Beginning with the match against Katsina United, if in the next two games there is no improvement the management will also place the players on half salaries,” Aondofa said.
However, the players risked having their salaries slashed in half after they played out a 1-1 draw away at Katsina United on Sunday.
The management had given the players a two-match ultimatum to change the fortunes of the team in terms of performance and results but a draw at Katsina might not be enough to salvage the punishment.
Lobi, who is currently eighth on the league table is billed to face in-form Nasarawa United in Makurdi, today.
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.”
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