Captain of former NPFL side, Warri Wolves, Goodluck Onamado has shipped blames on the Management of the Club as being responsible for the overall misfortune of the club that led to the Warri-based side relegating from the top flight.
It would be recalled that the NPFL Sea-siders failed in their bead to keep together, the same team that qualified for last season’s CAF Champions League, letting fourteen of the main team players leave in the process. The highly experienced defensive midfielder believes the move signalled the beginning of the end of the team in the top flight.
“Selling or releasing fourteen members of our first team squad then was one out of the many reasons why we failed.”
“We had a strong team that even finished second on log in the previous season, and suddenly we lost our competitive edge just because too many players were sold.”
The Delta State born indigene is not done citing factors that led to the downfall of what he sees as the pride of Warri people, as he opines that the frequent change of guard at the helm of affairs was also responsible for the fall of this great football club.
“The frequent change of handlers didn’t also do the team any good at all. Each time we were trying to settle down under a different Manager, a new one came with his own ideologies, formation and pattern of play that was different from the former.”
It would be recalled that a record four (4) different Managers handled the Warri-based side in the course of the 2015/2016 season, all to no avail. Foreigner, Ard Sluis with all his experience from Europe, Peter Nieketien and Sam Okpodu all tried at various points in the season, before Mansur Abdullahi finally sank the ship. They will now play in the NNL, the nation’s second tier league next season.
Nonpayment of players’ salaries and emoluments, and the inability by Management to clear backlog of same, was also a monster that contributed to wrecking the side, according the Captain of the club, as he maintained that several industrial actions, boycott of training sessions and threats to boycott league matches, played a big role in drowning the former NPA Stars.
“We embarked on strike actions and threatened to boycott matches at various points in the seasons as a result of nonpayment of salaries. I believe this was also a major reason why we couldn’t sustain our premier league status.”
Goodluck Onamado is now being courted by Billionaire side, FC IfeanyiUba. If the deal pulls through, he will be one of the experienced legs the Nnewi side will parade in next season’s CAF Confederations Cup, having gathered much experience from the continent while playing for Warri Wolves Football Club.
By Chijioke Henry – Abuja
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