Shooting denies internal wrangling

Speaking with Nigeriasports.com immediately after the week 13 Globacom 2004 premier league clash between 3SC and Gombe united, the former Falcons assistant coach declared that there is no faction whatsoever in the team.

"We remain one united family. The team is more than focused for the task at hand, and with this victory of today, we are back on course. It is only the enemies of progress that are slowing us down but they will not succeed", he boasted confidently.

On the teams poor away runs so far recorded in the league, the Ex-international was quick to point out that it is not an issue peculiar only to Shooting Stars. "It can happen. We have teams with big names losing in Europe. Real Madrid with all the stars is also losing at any time. You cannot win all the time", he lectured.

When reminded that teams like Dolphin and Nationale have only lost twice at away this season, the former 3SC captain insisted that it is too early in the day to say this.

"It is not the person who gets to the police station first that wins the case. Even Arsenal led the table through out the season last year but it was Man United who lifted the trophy at the end of the day. We are also back in contention beginning from today", he stressed.

Meanwhile, Jossy Lad also used the opportunity to deny being at Loggerheads with his assistant coach; Niyi Akande saying the relationship between them remains cordial.

"There is no quarrel whatsoever between us. We have been friends for 41 years so we cannot begin to fight ourselves now that we are old. He is not here but I am defending him now and I insist that we are working for the same goal. I was his captain right from our playing days here in 3SC so I do not think he envies me being the chief coach", concluded the light skinned coach.

…GOMBE TECHNICAL ADVISER WRITES OFF 3SC
Technical adviser to Gombe United, Manu Garba has declared that Shooting Stars Football club is not good enough to win this years Globacom 2004 premier league.

Making this declaration at the Lekan Salami Sports Complex Adamasingba shortly after the Week 13-league clash between his side and the Oluyole Warriors, the former Junior International attributed his teams 0-1 defeat to the poor state of the pitch and not to the supremacy of the hosts.

"The pitch affected my boys. Our stadium in Gombe is one of the best in the country and my boys are only used to free flowing football and not the kind of surface we have seen here in Ibadan", he lamented
On his assessment of the host, the Mexico ’83 under 20-squad member took his time before replying this way. "They are an average side. They are just a bunch of boys desperate to win after a longtime. I didn’t see anything technical in this side", he confessed to Nigeriasports.com.

When asked if he sees a championship winning team in 3SC, the Ex El-Kanemi Warrior of Maiduguri player shook his head and replied in the Negative. "Surely you don’t win the league this way. The side is not an experienced one. They are energetic no doubt but you need much more than that. Technical input and experience are very important. That is what teams like Enyimba and Dolphin have going for them", he affirmed.

The Oladuni Oyekale tutored side will play host to a resurgent Enyimba football club this weekend in a week 14 Globacom league encounter in Gombe and according to the chief coach of the team who is also an Ex-Junior International, there would be no hiding place for the Aba Warlords. "We are also in search of a victory too so they stand no chance to even pick a draw in Gombe", he concluded confidently.

Reports by: Adewole Opatola in Ibadan.