Kunle Soname, the Chairman, Remo Stars FC, Ijebu-Ode, on Saturday advocated stiff penalty against club-sides that defaulted in the settlement of entitlements of players.
Speaking in Abeokuta, Ogun State at a forum organised by Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Ogun State chapter, Soname attributed the decline in the quality of domestic football in Nigeria to the denial of rights of players.
He observed that many club owners engaged players to achieve their objective but hardly settled their entitlements as at when due, warning that the system must be sanitized to enhance the growth of domestic football in the country.
He said that there were laws against owing players their entitlements in Nigeria but that such laws were hardly implemented.
Soname said: “It is the highest level of cheating to make players play when you cannot pay them what is due to them. Some of them (club owners) owe players up to 10 months.
“In civilised climes, if you owe a player any allowance, your point will be deducted. Quite unfortunate, it is not like that here.
“There is a law and provision in the LMC statute books but we have never seen anyone being sanctioned.
“Until this happens, our football will still be at its infancy as it is now.”
Soname said he had never defaulted in the settlement of the entitlement of his players.
He said: “Under no circumstance will a player of mine not be paid at the end of the month. It is not possible.”
On their preparation for the new season, the Remo Star boss said his team would strive to do well during the season.
He said: “If we can be between 1st and 16th position, we’re satisfied; we can’t compete with those who have N47m budget a month; we have just N12m and have prepared to the best of our ability.”
The SWAN Chairman in the state, Hakeem Akintunde, said Soname’s appearance at the forum was timely as the new league season had just commenced.
Akintunde urged the club chairman to work closely with the media for adequate publicity.
Trending
- Sanwo-Olu: We’ve fulfilled our promises
- Upholding Democracy: The imperative of credible party primaries in Nigeria, by Adebanji Dada
- FG revokes 924 dormant mining licences as minister decries racketeering
- Why I didn’t build schools as Anambra governor, Peter Obi replies Omokri
- Establish base in Sambisa forest, Zulum tells Army
- EFCC withdraws appeal against former Kogi Governor Bello
- Fidelity Bank commends Air Peace’s performance
- How AI, automation, and trusted data are shaping next-generation customer service, by Linda Saunders