Future bleak for Sunshine, says boss
From Julius Alabi, Akure
THE Chairman of the Sunshine Football Club, Akure, Alhaji Kasali Obanoyen has lamented that the future of the club is bleak, unless the Ondo State Government pumped more money into the club to prosecute its activities this season.
Obanoyen who spoke with The Guardian in Akure, the state capital yesterday, said inadequate funding of the club last season was part of the problems that prevented it from gaining promotion to the Premier League.
"I must tell you that the N60 million given to the club last season was inadequate, comparing with N300 million that was given to Sharks Football Club and other clubs like that," Obanoyen explained.
According to him, "if the government wanted us to perform this season, it must be ready to give us more money because without money we cannot get good players".
He said some good players have been discovered last season, but stated that money must be available to secure the services of these players.
Obanoyen added that there were speculations that Coach Kafaru Alabi of the club was planning to leave the club and that he had started to have discussion with 3SC Football Club, Ibadan. He, however, said that he regarded it as a rumour since he had not informed him or the management of the club about it.
According to him, "I have just received directive from the Deputy-Governor, Otunba Omolade Oluwateru, to start shopping for a new coach, and I have made contacts with some coaches".
"I have spoken with Godfrey Esu and one of the Under-17 coaches, Coach Kafaru Alabi insisted that he was going to other club", he added.
But Obanoyen has described as good omen, the resignation of two board members of the club to become the team manager and the club's secretary.
With their resignation, the board members have reduced from nine to seven. The affected members are Akin Akinbobola and Bayo Bobade.
Akinbobola was deployed as team manager during the just ended season after the then team manager Ademola Oladodo was sacked over an alleged non-performance.
Bobade on the other hand, was more or less an acting secretary, a job he handled while retaining his status as a board member.
The chairman expressed confidence that the two exco members had the necessary requisites to perform in their new roles.
"I want to say categorically that with what Akinbobola did while acting as the team manager he can take the club to new heights," Obanoyen added.
