₦airaland Forum

medjai:
Besides, this will be a huge test on how much officiating has improved. I hope there wont be cheap penalties and endless injury time

NPL chairman Davidson Owumi is expecting fireworks this weekend when the Premier League's Garden City rivals Sharks and Dolphins confront each other at the Sharks Stadium.

Despite being both under the control of the Rivers State government, a fierce, sometimes violent rivalry brews nonstop between both teams.

Owumi, who turned out for Sharks in his playing days, is well aware of the of the potential sparks that could fly, and has warned both sides that the NPL will be keeping a close watch on proceedings.

"We expect a very testy game because Sharks have just two points so far, while Dolphins will be trying to keep their unbeaten record in the league," Owumi said.

"I know how difficult these games can be, and the current situation makes it even harder.

"But we expect these two teams to play by the rules, and the fans to behave themselves.

"We will be keeping a close watch on the match and we will not hesitate to apply stiff sanctions on anybody who is found to have acted in a way that brings the game into disrepute.

"So we urge both teams to control both their players and their supporters and give Nigerians and the rest of Africa a fantastic derby game that we can be proud of, and may the better side win."

The game is one of the three live televised matches of the week and will be on SuperSport 9.

A posse of top Dolphins players are asking to be excused from this weekend's derby against fierce city rivals Sharks, for fear of 'punishment from above' if they put in too much effort and get a result.

A point in this fixture last season allegedly led to a significant slash in wages for three players.

Dolphins may be unbeaten and top of the league, but their so far unblemished record will be in grave danger, and from within, as the team gets ready for Saturday's Garden City derby.

Last season, Dolphins held Sharks to a 0-0 draw at the Sharks Stadium, with Dolphins goalkeeper Sunday Rotimi saving two hotly-disputed penalty kicks, including one deep into second half stoppage time.

Such was the intensity of the game that Dolphins coach Stanley Eguma refused to go into the dressing room at half time, choosing to do his half time team talk on the field.

The match officials also spent nearly five minutes on the pitch, before they bowed to supplication by Sharks assistant coach Kennedy Boboye to go to the dressing room.

That result seriously undermined Sharks chances of staying up, and they only avoided relegation because Bayelsa United lost three points against Wikki Tourists.

Dolphins players claimed they were directed to throw the game by a top government official with oversight functions over both teams, in order to help Sharks survive.

When the second penalty was awarded, the official allegedly approached the Dolphins bench and demanded the penalty be allowed to go in.

He was challenged by three players, including Rotimi, who went on to save the kick.

The other two were Emmah Godwin and Festus Austin.

This season, all three players suffered hugely significant cuts to their annual sign on fees, with skipper Godwin suffering the highest cut of N1.1 million to his sign-on fee. Defender Festus Austin had N1million sliced off his while Rotimi was lucky to see a relatively modest N900 000 pinched off his.

The only other players who suffered cuts to their wages, were fringe players who failed to make any appearances for the club during the season.

The rest of the team, mindful of the punishment suffered by the trio, are now wary about playing for a win.

Only the new recruits, blissfully ignorant of the circumstances, are looking forward to a feisty game.

The current situation again brings to the fore the issue of single ownership of clubs in the same competition, a clear and blatant violation of FIFA regulations on club ownership.

Both clubs are owned by the Rivers State government, and are managed and administered from the office of the State Sports Commissioner.

This is in flagrant violation of Art 9 of the Fifa Club Licensing Regulations, which specifically prohibit a single natural or legal entity from direct or indirect ownership of multiple clubs, in the same competition.

So far, the NFF have refused to act, despite other states being involved in a similar practice.

honeric01:


Yakubu

Oparanozie

Khalfan Fahad

  And his names shall be called YAKUBU OPARANOZIE KHALFAN FAHAD

honeric01:
ThankGod Ike off on trials

Posted: 2010-11-16 09:57

Warri Wolves defender ThankGod Ike was not available for the club this weekend after going off on trials to Asia.

Ike left on Thursday, and missed Saturday's 1-1 draw at Crown FC but is expected back on time to captain the side against his former club.

Wolves Media Manager Timi Ebikagboro told KickOffNigeria.com that the club were aware informed about the player's movement.

"He was upfront with us when he joined, saying that he had two offers and he would probably leave as soon as a deal was done.

"Before he left, he told us and he was given permission to leave. He will return before our match against Heartland this weekend," Ebikagboro said.

honeric01:
Did you by any chance watch Niger Tornadoes vs Crown FC? it was shown on NTA, i almost vomited!!!

medjai:
wow! Sharks vs Dolphins- the Rivers derby is coming up early. I expect a big clash, hope it will be on TV

honeric01:
^^^^

Which yeye soap? nobi night dem dey show their yeye soap? how about all these useless programs they air during the period they are suppose to be showing league matches? Anyways it's something we have to deal with, it's either we do something about it or just let it continue.


NTA annoys me even though they show few matches, but the quality is useless to me.

patttcom:
its not mandatory to post comments. some silly fellas oyb and fstranger are in the house saying there asses out

oyb:
^^^^

damn straight a woman's place is in the kitchen and after that the bedroom - any one who gets too big for her britches like those tooting super falcons or whatever they call em, winning matches while their men falter should be put in their place on trailers or worse.

if this ws the mode of transport for cecilia ibru and ndidi, they would never have gotten that fat or chopped that much money


let this be a lesson to all you uppity nigerian women who do not know your place  

folem:
https://worldcup.mtnfootball.com/content/women_455.jpg

[img]http://www.fansoccer.de/jugendnatios/u20wm2010/spielberichte/kolumbien-nigeria/ts-osinachi-ohale-ingrid-vidal.JPG[/img]

stevetboy9:
You guys are doing great but I'll like to point out somethings. There are some functions that are not included in the mobile phone version such as links: for checking peoples profile, modifying and editing post, editing personal information and some important links. I'll suggest that those hyperlinks should be supplied on the mobile version, albeit one can copy link and see some of those like proflie information i.e[b] there is no link on mobile phone to access someone's profile[/b] but if one knows the id number of such a person, one can paste it on the 'go to' column in the phone. E.g www.nairaland.com/nigeria?action=profile thanks.

Pharoh:
I am trying to dig up info about her, but she is CAF female footballer of the century and the first female african coach to win an international event. Florence omagbemi is in the under 20 and ann cheijine is assisting in this falcons team.

A few days ago, I was reading a news story online and the NFF was saying to the Falcons "Beat Cameroun and get $1500 Each". . .when Super Eagles dey collect $5000 even when dem lose?   E nor pure at all.  . . . . . .Haba!