Ministerial order threatens female league

Pelican Stars of Calabar Team Manager, Ani Oku-Ita belives his side are the most hit by the decision as he reveals to nigeriasports.com.

“We have 7 players with the Falcons-Oge Onyinanya, Cele Onyeka, Yinka Kudaisi, Ajuma Ameh, Effioanwan Ekpo, Pepetua Nkwocha and Blessing Igbojoinu and with another seven at the U-19 camp how do they want us to prosecute league games?”

The enraged Team Manager said his club may have to pull out of the league if something is not done about it.

“All we want is for the FA to postpone the league until after the Olympics or else it will be difficult for us to continue playing in the league.”

The Team Manager also added that his State Government may not be disposed to paying the players anymore since it does not make economic sense paying players who do not play for them.

“We have already asked for our next game against Inneh Queens on Friday to be postponed and if the FA does not accede to this, then we will boycott the game and see what happens.”

Another club hit by this development is Champions, Delta Queens who have 6 players in the Super Falcons camp- Precious Dede, Lizzy Johnson, Felicia Eze, Ayi Yusuf, Vera Okolo and Nkechi Egbe, while 8 are the U-19 team.

Rivers Angels Chairman, Larry Eze was not pleased with the fact that he had to spend close to fifty thousand naira (about $352) on transportation for nine of his players in the U-19 team to honour the away match against Pelican Stars in Calabar last weekend

“If we spend that kind of money every week to bring players from the National team the club will go under before the league gets to its half way mark.”

“Besides, the players are released on the eve of the match and arrive on match day completely fagged out and cannot perform to their best.”

When confronted with this, NFA Board member and Chairperson of the Female Football Development Committee, Alhaji Ayo Omidiran said it was a matter that had to be discussed at the Secretariat.

Already more than twenty of the best female footballers in Nigeria cannot feature in the league due to the embargo placed on the release of players from the national team, while more than 30 others are in the U19 team depriving the league of the best materials.