The Management of Nigeria Professional Football League outfit, Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia has described as unfounded, reports purportedly making their rounds in the media that their Manager, Kennedy Boboye is set to dump the club for rival teams ahead of the second phase of the league. In a statement, Abia Warriors Chairman, Chief […]
via ABIA WARRIORS DISPEL BOBOYE EXIT RUMOURS — newfanzoneblog
Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia Chairman, Chief Emeka Inyama has described as mischievous and misleading, a report credited to him in one of Nigeria’s respected all-sports National tabloids, where he was quoted as saying that Referees are killing the Nigerian League. Chief Inyama who angrily reacted to the publication, questioned the authenticity of the […]
via I DIDN’T CRITICIZE THE REFEREES, INYAMA — newfanzoneblog
There was immense joy and excitement when the Super Eagles duo, Chisom Chikatara and skipper Austin Obaroakpo returned to the Abia Warriors Camp in Umuahia after they were not considered for the 2017 Africa Nations Cup double header against the Pharaohs of Egypt by the Super Eagles Interim coach, Samson Siasia.
As soon as the final list was released, in Abuja both Abia Warriors players jetted back to Umuahia with the next available flight and the camp exploded in ecstasy when they were seen by their colleagues.
The duo later participated in the evening training session where they gave a good account of themselves.
Speaking to Abia Warriors website, both players said they had no hard feelings about the decision of the National Team handlers to drop them and wished the Super Eagles well in the double header.
According to Chikatara, who certified himself 100 per cent fit, the players who were chosen by Coach Siasia are good enough to handle Egypt in both qualifiers, adding that he would continue to work hard in order to get future call-ups.
“All of us cannot play for Nigeria at the same time, so I will wait for another opportunity to play for my fatherland” Chikatara, who has been acquired by Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca, said.
He disclosed that all his attention is now focused on helping Abia Warriors achieve success in the domestic League beginning with the week eight mid-week clash against Wikki Tourists of Bauchi in Umuahia.
Obaroakpo, on his own, said in as much as he was physically, mentally and psychologically ready for the Egypt match, he has no hard feelings for being drooped, adding that it is the dream of every player to don the Country’s National Team colours.
He believed the door is not closed for him in the Super Eagles and thanked the organizers for the invitation extended to him in the first place.
The Abia Warriors Captain also said his attention is now focused on how to help his beloved Club grab the league diadem or at least pick a continental ticket at the end of the season.
Abia Warriors of Umuahia ruthless defender, Emmanuel Olowo, who suffered a concoction after receiving an accidental punch at the back of his from his own goalkeeper during last Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Enugu Rangers International, is in a stable condition after being discharged from the hospital in Umuahia.
The former Kano Pillars sure stopper was accidentally punched by John Gaadi who wanted to punch away, a goal-bound shot, and he suffered a concoction and collapsed at the field of play forcing the centre referee, Ferdinand Udoh to temporarily stop the game.
He was later revived and rushed to the hospital where he received treatment.
Head of Abia Warriors’ medical team, Dr Enyinnaya Anozie told the club’s website that the player is in a stable condition but will be out of action for at least two weeks.
“As I speak with you now, he has been discharged from the hospital where he underwent several tests including a computer brain scan to determine the enormity of the injury but he is now in a stable condition, Dr. Anozie said.
According to him, the type of injury he sustained requires that he be rested for at least two weeks during which he would be seriously monitored to ensure he does not engage in any rigorous activity which, he said could trigger more problems for him.
“You know his brain was rattled with the punch, so it was not surprising he collapsed but we thank God he survived”, he further
stated.
Dr Anozie commended the medical team on ground for doing a good job and ensuring that the player was revived before being taken to the hospital.
The League Management Company’s special delegation that inspected facilities at the Umuahia Township Stadium in readiness for the kick off of this season’s Nigeria Professional Football League has concluded its assignment.
Some of the facilities inspected by the delegation at the Abia Warriors Football Club home ground include the playing turf, the dressing rooms for both home and away teams, the press stand, public conveniences, referees dressing rooms, the VIP stand among others.
The two-man special delegation which included Chief Okey Kpaluku a Director of the League Management Company and veteran sports administrator Emeka Iwuagwu also inspected the media and technical facilities at the stadium.
At the end of the inspection exercise, the team said they have seen the facilities on ground, but said that there was still room for improvement.
The team however could not disclose to newsman what their feelings were, insisting that they would write their report and submit same to LMC, which according to them, have the final say.
“We have seen the facilities you have on ground but there is still room for you to upgrade. We will write our report to the LMC and they will communicate you accordingly”, Kpalukwu said.
In his reaction, the Chairman of Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia, Chief Emeka Inyama who had earlier welcomed the team to the Umuahia Township Stadium, commended them for doing a thorough job and expressed confidence that the LMC’s response to their report will be favourable to Abia Warriors.
The immediate past Team Manager of National League Division One side, Bussdor United of Port Harcourt Sam Obu, has joined Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia as the Assistant Coordinator/Welfare Officer.
Sam, who is the elder brother of Nigeria’s former National U-17 and U-20 coach, John Obu, moved to Umuahia after serving in Bussdor for about three years.
The former Vasco Dagama of Enugu, Spartans of Owerri and Sharks of Port Harcourt attacker, who later travelled to the United States where he played for the Atlanta Chiefs while studying Estate/Industrial Management at the Fort-Valley State University, Georgia, has already settled down to his new assignment at Umuahia.
Sam, who owns the Mben United Football Academy, Aba, told Abia Warriors website that he decided to join the Warriors to enable him contribute his quota towards the club’s dreams of lifting the league diadem for the first time and commended the club’s management led by Chief Emeka Inyama for running Abia Warriors Football Club professionally.
The Ohafia born administrator had joined Vasco Dagama of Enugu immediately after his secondary school education at the famous St Augustine’s Grammer School, Nkwere in the present Imo State. He later played for the Spartans of Owerri and two Port-Harcourt based sides, Sharks and the Nigeria Port Authority (NPA) before he travelled to the United States of America to further his studies.
Premier league hopefuls, Abia Warriors football club of Umuahia said one of its dependable players, Erhun Obanor has disappeared without any official permission from the club.
The Chairman of the club, Chief Emeka Inyama, who revealed this in Umuahia said the former Bendel Insurance of Benin defender has not been seen in Umuahia since the players resumed camping after the Christmas and New Year break while he has refused to pick his calls.
He said such an attitude was unbecomingly of a player who is still under a valid contract.
The chairman reminded clubs that may possibly be fraternizing with the former Nigeria U-23 captain of the consequences of their action insisting that the left-footed player is not for sale.
“Even if he wants to leave, the proper procedure for the transfer of players in the international market must be followed”, Inyama said.
The chairman restated Abia Warriors’ willingness to go for the league title this season, pointing out that his management will not allow any member of staff, player or technical crew to derail this ambition.
Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia have continued their build-up to the forthcoming Nigeria professional Football League season with victories in-two pre-season friendly matches.
The Warriors, who finished 10th last season, have indicated their resolve to go for the title in its third year in the Premier League and have engaged some local sides in tune-up games.
At the weekend, Abia Warriors beat LEGENDS FC of Aba 1-0 at the Umuahia Township Stadium with youngster, Michael Olaha netting the only goal through a trade mark free kick.
In another friendly, Enize Emmanuel and Agoha Chinenye scored as the Warriors defeated visiting FOOTPRINTERS Football Club of Owerri 2-0 at the same venue.
Speaking after the friendly match, Godstime Enyerenwa who took the FOOTPRINTERS to Umuahia said the outcome was harsh on them as the team deserved a better result.
Enyerenwa, who revealed that he has bankrolled the National Division Two outfit within the last five years, said the team just regrouped after the Christmas and New Year break, pointing and that they will be stronger and more cohesive before the National League kicks off.
On his own part, Abia Warriors Manager, Kennedy Boboye said he was using the friendly matches to tune-up the boys for the challenges ahead adding that he was happy at the progress made so far.
According to him, the team will soon go into closed camping to finalize strategies for the forthcoming season.
ABIA WARRIOR RESUME TRAINING…engage in friendlies
Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia have resumed training for the new season after observing the Christmas and New Year break granted the players by the technical crew.
Addressing the players, Coach Kennedy Boboye thanked God for the journey mercies granted them and wished them well. Boboye said everybody should brace up for the challenges ahead as Abia Warriors have a target to meet at the end of the season.
Abia Warriors Chairman, Chief Emeka Inyama, who watched the training session with members of his Board, reminded the players and their coaches of the need to work very hard in order to meet the club’s target of winning the league for the first time or at least picking a continental ticket at the end of the season.
Chief Inyama, who described Abia Warriors as one of the best managed sides in the land, revealed that management takes the welfare of the team seriously as no player, Official or staff is owed salaries, allowances or match bonuses and promised to render all the necessary assistance to enable the team excel.
He told the coaches to rely more on the already established stars in the land rather than engage in an open screening as there would be no time to accommodate that since kick off date for the new season is barely three weeks ahead.
Meanwhile, Abia Warriors crushed local rivals, New Generation Football Club 5-0 in a pre-season friendly at the Umuahia Township Stadium.
Sheriff Bashir, Kalu Nweke, Esobe Chukwudi, Elvis Okoroafor and Benenoir International, Ajayi Musa scored the goals for the Warriors.
Coach Boboye, who expressed happiness at the scoreline while briefing newsman, said more friendlies would be arranged for the team in order to put the boys in a more competitive spirit before the beginning of the season.
The former Sunshine Stars tactician said the friendlies would also be used to properly assess the players under a match situation disclosing that the players who failed to meet his standard would be shown the way out.
The Abia State Government has awarded contract for the reconstruction of the Umuahia Township Stadium in readiness for the kick-off of the 2015/16 Premier League season.
Chairman of Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia, Chief Emeka Inyama disclosed this at the club’s secretariat during an end-of-year get-together organized by the management and board for staff, supporters club and well wishers.
He disclosed that MONIMICHELLE Sports Facility Construction Limited will handle the reconstruction project, assuring that work will be completed before the beginning of the season.
The chairman also announced that the State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu will soon perform the ground-breaking ceremony of the club’s 40-hectare sports complex situated in Umuahia.
According to him the first phase of the project will begin next month and will include the construction of an ultra modern office complex, a 40-room hostel for the players and two practicing pitches while the second phase will witness the construction of a multi-purpose hall, a three-star hotel, an ultra-modern housing estate and a swimming pool which will generate money for the club.
He said most of the job will be carried out in partnership with the private sector, pointing our talks have also reached an advanced stage with a Chinese firm in this regard.
The chairman disclosed that when finalized, the deal will run into millions of naira and save the government the inconveniences of sponsoring such huge projects.
He commended the state Governor for having the interest to carry the burden of sponsoring two premier league sides and a National League club despite all odds disclosing that Abia Warriors remains the only side without having money issues with either management, staff or players as the club has paid salary up to December, 2015 and is not owing any match allowance or bonuses.
Chief Inyama said the club will continue to be run professionally in order to set the pace and urged the technical crew led by Kennedy Boboye to do its best to win the league or at least grab a continental ticket at the end of the season.
The ceremony was attended by members of the supporters club, the Abia State Director of Sports, Isaac Ogbonnaya Isaac, a representative of the sports Ministry, Boniface Arukwe, members of the Abia State football Association and the club’s supporters and well wishers.
Newly appointed Manager of Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia, Kennedy Boboye has assured the players that he will not witch-haunt any of them as long as hardwork and respect to constituted authority is maintained.
Boboye, who addressed the players at the Umuahia Township Stadium shortly after conducting his first training session for the players, noted that fair play has always been his watchword, in all the clubs he has been.
“I am one coach who gives all the players equal opportunity. I will never sack any player without giving him a chance”, he told them.
The former Sunshine Stars tactician said he was happy at the turn-out of players during the session as camp re-opened as well as their dedication to duty and urged them to maintain the tempo.
He expressed happiness that majority of the boys who featured for Abia Warriors last season were still around insisting that the team would be built around them while only a few players would be introduced to strengthen some weak areas in order to make the team more competitive.
He also commended management for retaining more than 90 per cent of the coaching crew, pointing out that this would further make his work easier, describing the coaches he met on ground as some of the best the nation can boast of.
While promising harmonious relationship with the management, coaches and players, Boboye said he has come to Umuahia to make a mark for himself and the team calling for all hands to be on deck.
Earlier the secretary of Abia Warriors Football Club Oliver Ndife had welcomed Boboye to the training ground and assured him of the club’s support to enable him succeed
Even in its quest to land its first Premier League title in Nigeria or at least pick a continental ticket in the forthcoming season, Chairman of Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia, Chief Emeka Inyama says the club will not be signing too many new players but would rather rely mostly on old hands to realise its ambition.
Chief Inyama who disclosed this while speaking to newsmen in Umuahia, said the team will retain most of the players who featured for it last season while 90 per cent of the Technical Crew have also been retained in order to make room for continuity.
“Apart from (Ladan) Bosso who left at the end of last season, all the other coaches have been retained. Chijioke (Osuagwu) is the assistant manager while the others (Willy Udube, Fancy Ewulu, Igwe Madubuike and Kelvin Ejeh) are designated as coaches.
We’ve been able to synchronise all the positions and the order of flow. So I hope that retaining 70 per cent of our players, and retaining all other coaches apart from Bosso, would help the new manager, Kennedy Boboye to key in easily into the team and I am assuring him we will give him all the support he would require.
We’ve also allowed him to come with his trainer, all in the interest of Abia Warriors”, Chief Inyama said.
He poured encomiums on the state Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, who he said has demonstrated immense love and support to sports despite being faced with competing alternatives and dwindling economy and assured him that the Warriors will not let him down.
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