By Olanrewaju Akojede
Lagos – Lagos-based Ikorodu United is in the news again for wrong reasons as the once darling club of Lagosians is enmeshed in a serious financial mess, failing to register for football activities for the 2018/2019 season.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the “Oga Boys’’ failed to register for the 2018/2019 Lagos State FA Cup and conspicuously missing from the 2018/2019 Nigeria National League (NNL) matches.
The club which fought to gain promotion from the Group B of the abridged NNL last year, failed to register for the 2018/2019 NNL, thus, missing out among the teams that will represent Lagos.
It is worthy of note that Ikorodu United being previously handled by a Dutch tactician, Jacob de Jong, has played in the Nigeria Professional Football League in 2015/2016 season after which they were relegated same season.
A check by NAN to ascertain the true condition of the club, however, shows that all is not well with the club as most of the players and the administrative staff have deserted the club.
Some of the players who spoke with NAN said that the club had been highly indebted to them, adding that their match allowances were not spared in the debt.
According to a reliable source who spoke to NAN, the trouble started last year when the team failed to regain promotion to the NPFL.
He claimed that the internal crisis actually robbed the club chances of returning back to the elite division of the Nigerian league.
One of the former players of the club, told NAN that the management of the club had sacked its entire administrative staff, adding that some of the players were in NPFL and other NNL clubs.
“We are being owed salaries and I don’t even recollect when last I was paid before leaving the club. We are even told that we won’t play in the league this year.
“There is no point in staying in the club, even, I was told that some players are asked to leave without any compensation.
“As I speak, some of our players are in Abia Warriors, Thomas in Go Round FC, and our goalkeeper in Osun United.
“I was told that the chairman is not interested in the club and is ready to sell it to the highest bidder,’’ he said.
Another source in the club said that the situation at the club was worrisome as most of the administrative staff had been sacked.
“The situation with the club is so pathetic so much that almost all the administrative staff have been sacked.
“While some of the players have gone for another contract through the back door, the administrative manager and the Technical Manager were sacked last year.
“I really pity the club because they are formerly on the path of greatness before the crisis started consuming them,’’ he said.
Responding to the issues, the Media Officer of the team, Babatunde Ayoola, declined comment on the development, adding that the club would be fine.