Rivers Angels set to sack Nwadike, Mbachu

ikwerreman · Post by **ikwerreman** » Wed Dec 24, 2003 12:15 pm

http://www.dailyindependentng.com/daily ... 240310.htm

The management of Rivers Angels have unanimously agreed to sack its two key players, Rita Nwadike and Stella Mbachu, over improper behaviour.

This is sequel to the players behaviour at the last Final Six competition played at Umuahia, Abia state.

Daily Independent reliably gathered from a close aide of the team that the management who have the backing of the state government took the decision to sack the players to serve as a deterrent.

“No matter how good they are, the have to go because if they remain, there is every tendency that their presence could pollute the rest of the players,” the aide said.

The management was not happy with the way the two key players conducted themselves during the Final Six Competition, the players held the team to ransome insisting that the backlog of salaries owed them be paid before they play.

Even when they were paid two months salaries off their arrears, they still refused to co-operate with the team, thus demanding for every dime.

It, however, took the intervention of the Super Falcons coach, Ismaila Mabo, to stop the Falcons players from carrying on with their threat.

But despite soft-pedalling, the players performed below their best during the competition which saw the team placed fourth. Meanwhile, River Angels are set to sign their first big name in Nigerian female football in the person of Ajuma Ameh.

Tempora101 · Post by **Tempora101** » Wed Dec 24, 2003 7:25 pm

It is only in Nigeria that your employer owe you salary arrears and they are not ashamed about it.

KoC · Post by **KoC** » Wed Dec 24, 2003 7:52 pm

Maybe I should help put this into perspective.

Rivers Angels is a privately owned club managed by Larry Eze. Because of the capital outlay involved, and the lack of sponsorship, he usually gets sponsorship from the Rivers State government.

The girls were being owed 4 months salaries in the run-up to the Super Six, and there was little hope of money from anywhere. But between Ikwerreman and I, we put enough pressure on the Rivers State Sports Commissioner to put their case before the governor and some money was released for them the week before they were to leave for the competition in Umuahia.

Those extra days I stayed back in PH to get that money out almost earned me a query in Lagos. Its just that my boss knows I am not a flitter.

That money was used to offset two months salaries on a Tuesday (I think). Two days later, more money came from the government with SPECIFIC instructions that it was to be used for the Super Six. The governemnt official actually addressedthe players and told them that the balance of their salaries would be paid soon, but that they were to use this one for the competition.

After the official left, Eze called his senior players and discussed with them, asking them what they needed to make them happy for the Super Six. They said they wanted one month's salary. So contrary to the instructions he was given, the players were paid the salary, to make it three months.

He then asked what else they needed for him to do. Nobody said anything. And they proceeded to Umuahia.

But the moment they got there, the two players began to make all sorts of outrageous demands: that he should pay daily allowance for a player who was not in the squad, but only came along fr the ride. That he should give them new boots, tht he should pay them the outstanding one month salary.

They refused to train with the rest of the team, refused to pray with the others on the field, and refused to pass the ball during the game to anyone but themseklves. Infact, on one occassion, Rita had the ball in front of the 18-yrd box, but seeing neither Stella, or one other player who is in cahoots with her, she calmly turned back with the ball despite having a well-placed colleague inside the box. It was an absolute outrage!

It took threats from Ismaila Mabo before both players came to their senses, and even at that, they played well below par.

I for one, am always on the side of the players, but the behaviour of those two was totally uncalled for. At every stage during the negotiations with the government to release money for them, they were kept in the picture. They knew exactly when money was released, how much was released and how it was disbursed. That is what makes their actions unforgiveable.

ikwerreman and I did what we did for them becos we took them as our friends and sisters. Butthis was way over the top. We totally support the decision of the management to send them away. They are bad for team spirit. None of the other players are happy with them at the moment.

ikwerreman · Post by **ikwerreman** » Thu Dec 25, 2003 2:58 pm

And Tempora 101, its not about owing Salaries.
The female game in nigeria is still growing and no individuall can run a female football club without going bankrupt.
Even the Government run clubs cannot pay salaries.
These players know this and they know that btween KOC and I,we have made Rivers Angels the most glamorous club in Nigeria within one year.
Throughout 2002 they did not earn a penny in salaries- Rita and Stella were there yet they played their hearts out like they were paid millions.
In 2003 they each got sign on fees of 250,000 naira-what many premier league clubs will not pay their players- and recieved salaries from January uptil november, somthing that has never before happend in the history of the club.
Rita knows because she has played their for at least sixteen years.
I was at Umuahia for the twelve day champinship and what i saw was a show of shame.
IF the management wants to sack them i think the action is justified

Larry Ashagbe · Post by **Larry Ashagbe** » Thu Dec 25, 2003 4:49 pm

It is not GOOD not to get paid your salary.

What is the motivation for getting up in the morning and going into work? MONEY.

If these girls have been paid their salaries, maybe we won't have this situation.

Rita Nwadike and Stella Mbachu should not have played the match if they knew they were going to behave badly because they have lost the public sympathy.

ikwerreman · Post by **ikwerreman** » Fri Dec 26, 2003 3:02 pm

Larry Ashagbe wrote:It is not GOOD not to get paid your salary.

What is the motivation for getting up in the morning and going into work? MONEY.

If these girls have been paid their salaries, maybe we won't have this situation.

Rita Nwadike and Stella Mbachu should not have played the match if they knew they were going to behave badly because they have lost the public sympathy.

LArry,
yes that is true about the salary issue.
But it is a big problem in Nigeria.
Even Premier league clubs- Sharks and Dolphins were owing four months salaries which they only just cleared out on the 24th of December- so you can see wot i mean.
Rita and Stella have lost public sympathy because the whole of Port Harcourt loked on them as two players that will carry the team along. Remember Rita has played in three owrld cups,one Olympic Games, two African women champions ships and of course the AAG- Stella's CV is not much different.
The Chairman of the Club thinks both of them sabotaged the team and that was bad for their image.
Ismaila Mabo would have also dropped them from the falcons team.
He was this close from doing that.
I hope they do well in the games against Ghana.
That way they could both get new clubs in the on coming season.\I hear Stella has a deal being worked out for her in China

Chief Ogbunigwe · Post by **Chief Ogbunigwe** » Fri Dec 26, 2003 3:04 pm

Larry Ashagbe · Post by **Larry Ashagbe** » Fri Dec 26, 2003 6:13 pm

ikwerreman,

This has been a lesson for all parties involved.

ikwerreman · Post by **ikwerreman** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 2:39 pm

Chief Ogbunigwe wrote:

Is this you?
No wonder you dey rush Precious Dede since.
YOu ugly no be small

MI5 · Post by **MI5** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 2:41 pm

I don't blame them na haba cheii all they are asking for is what is owed to them cheii...

MI5 · Post by **MI5** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 2:50 pm

In this day of age players are still being owed money but OGA gets to chop money and take his girlfriends out all the time...

KoC · Post by **KoC** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 2:59 pm

MI5, read my post again and understand the situation. At one point, the commissioner warned Ikwerreman not to call him up anymore regarding the Rivers Angels matter, and I got a bollocking from my boss for reporting back late from PH.

Prior to that, we had been involved in a serious quarrel with the immediate past commissioner over this same matter. And we had also squeezed out a committment from the Governor's Office that if they did well at the Super Six, they would get BIG financial rewards, a la Sharks after the FA Cup Final.

The least we ewxpected form these girls after putting all this effort was some amount of committment to the cause. And it was all for THEIR own good!

I can assure you that if they had even finished second, no team would have been better rewarded. But between Stella and Rita, they decided to go their own way. I felt sad and embarrassed.

You can imagine how I felt. How do you now convince the government to give them anything?

MI5 · Post by **MI5** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 3:07 pm

KOC,

Well done with your efforts along with IKman for all the work and all you are doing and God will continue to bless you and everyone who is fighting for the good of the game back home. Your points are well taken and all and all sides at the end of the day have a responsibility to uphold and honour whatever contracts or agreements they sign. It's just sad and unfortunate this things continue to plaque oyur society each and everyday not just in sports but in other aspects of daily things in Naija as whole...

At the end of the day everyone should be held accountable for their actions no exceptions....

ikwerreman · Post by **ikwerreman** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 4:05 pm

MI5 wrote:KOC,

Well done with your efforts along with IKman for all the work and all you are doing and God will continue to bless you and everyone who is fighting for the good of the game back home. Your points are well taken and all and all sides at the end of the day have a responsibility to uphold and honour whatever contracts or agreements they sign. It's just sad and unfortunate this things continue to plaque oyur society each and everyday not just in sports but in other aspects of daily things in Naija as whole...

At the end of the day everyone should be held accountable for their actions no exceptions....

M15,
Nigerian players dont sign contracts and thats what we are trying to change.
If we are going to make any changes, we want to start from our own clubs down here, Rivers Angels, Sharks and Dolphins.
First we insist that these players must fill out contract forms.
It is onl;y when you have something down on paper that you can agaitate for what is owed.
They have never signed contracts.
Even in 2003 Rivers Angels players did not sign anything, but we made sure they got paid.
As it stands now they are only being owed November and December Salaries.
Between January 2001 and December 2002 they did not recieve a dime as salaries.
You can see they have come a long way but we must do things right.
In 2004, they will all have contracts and the club must abide by the terms of the contract