26th September, 2011
Efforts by the management of the Shooting Stars Sports Club (3sc) of Ibadan to make the soccer team to regain its lost glories during this soccer season have suffered a setback as the players have boycotted training programmes.
The Captain of the 3SC, Sakiru Lawal who disclosed to newsmen at the Stakeholders meeting of the club at the Club House, Jericho, the resolution of the players to stoop attending training activities said, “It is sad to note that in spite of all efforts being put in place by every one of us in the club , our management had failed to reason with us as regards the payment of our sign-off fees after several representations to the body (management) since the commencement of this soccer season. As at today , none of us has been paid a kobo out of our outstanding sign-off fees which is between N4 and N5 million. And as a result of this non-challant attitude towards our plight, we have now decided to boycott our training programmes “.
” In as much as we can no longer live in penury as family men , we have all resolved to shun the training programmes for the remaining matches against our opponents in the on-going Premier League in the country with immediate effect .We can only rescind our decision to boycott the training programmes if the management pays our sign-off fees as we are currently living from hand to mouth through the kind gesture of our various friends “.
The club General Manager, a former skipper of the club, Mr. Joseph Ladipo alias Josy Lad disclosed that the club is still plagued by the problem of insufficient funds from the Oyo State Government, a problem that he said began in 1999, and which has resulted into the club losing its position to the Enyimba Football Club of Aba.
He said, “We found it difficult to pay our players the outstanding allowances and this eventually led to their failure to put in their best while playing the opponents (Enyimba boys). As at today again, our club has a lot of outstanding allowances to settle and not until the players are paid, we should not expect the players to give in their bestâ€.
Ladipo made passionate plea to the state government to give the club sufficient subventions for the up-keep of the players as the club is the heritage of the Yoruba race in particular and soccer ambassador in Africa in general.
Responding, the state Commissioner for Youth and Sports , Mr. Adedapo Lam-Adesina who had earlier frowned at the declining position of the club in the recent times described the situation as unfortunate.
He attributed the problems of the club to the handiwork of some people who pretend to be good friends of the club and warned that the business is no more as usual and every person that founds himself or herself in the management of the club should be up and doing as the reformation going on in the club would consume the indolent ones.
He said, “All efforts to improve the standard of the club are now being made as plans are in the pipeline to build a stadium and hostel which will be for the club and put paid to some of the tenancies being paid to both Oodu’a and the Liberty Stadium very soon”.
Adedapo also called on the players to exercise patience while the stakeholders should work out modalities capable of making the club to regain its lost glories at a very short time.
Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan