Larry Eze denies withholding players entitlements

Larry Eze has been under fire in the past couple of days in some sections of the Nigerian media who accused him of refusing to play his players salaries, sign on fees and match bonuses close to two weeks after receiving funds from the state Government to that effect.

The chairman was even accused of not paying complete feeding allowances in Abuja last week during the FA Cup semi finals and third place match prompting a disagreement in the teams’ hotel, hours before their third place match loss against FCT Queens of Abuja

“How can any body say I cheat my players?” An enraged Larry Eze told nigeriasports.com.

 “Has any body come to ask my players if I did not pay them their feeding bonuses? Maybe somebody can come to the camp and see the register where the players all signed before collecting their feeding allowances. I think it is all wrong for journalists to go on air with unconfirmed reports.” The Chairman fumed.

The chairman said he was not too happy with reports that his girls lost the third place match because they were hungry.

“How could they have played on empty stomachs when they had signed their full feeding allowances?”

Larry Eze, admitted, though that he had received a large sum of money from the Rivers State Government, he has so far failed to pay the players for circumstances he said the Rivers State Sports commissioner, Allwell Onyesoh and State Accountant General know about.

“I can’t deny, because Government has given us money, but I just collected it and it is there as I am talking to u. I have not withdrawn one kobo from that money for reasons both the sports commissioner and Accountant General know very well.”

“The government did not give me N1.5m, what I got from government was much more than that and all my players and officials know that I have such money.”

However, five players of the club who spoke to nigeriasports.com on the condition of anonymity said the Chairman was not truthful when he said they were paid all their feeding allowances in Abuja.

“We were initially supposed to stay for four days but later stayed an extra day but money for feeding was not given to us for the extra day and that is why we were not happy with him” One of the players said.

“It was when we came back to Port Harcourt that the Chairman brought a register and asked us to sign that we have collected money for feeding in Abuja.” Another added.

“The thing is that we are afraid we might not get our money because the way the Chairman is behaving these days. We know the Government has released money, but why wont he pay us instead of finding fault in every thing the media says about him? If he had only paid us I don’t think there would have been a reason for all this scandal now?”

Rivers Angels players have not been paid any salaries or sign on fees since October 2003.