From; Madu Ezenoha
The Enugu state Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Charles Ndukwe, has attributed the exit of Rangers from the CAF competition to the Coach’s incompetence.
Ndukwe contradicted the Acting chief Coach of the defending champions of the Nigeria professional football league NPFL, Rangers Inter. FC, Chukwuma Agbo, that the team was humiliated 3-0 last Saturday by Zesco United of Zambia in the 2017 CAF Total Confederation Cup because the players were hungry.
Ndukwe, who reacted to the statement via a telephone chart with journalists expressed dismay over the comment, stressing that as far as he was concerned, the club was defeated due to incompetence on the side of the coach.
He said the state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi ,did the needful for the players before they left for Zambia, stressing that they were all paid their allowances before their departure.
The Commissioner wondered why Agbo should attribute the team’s failure to hunger, insisting that the coach did not leave up to expectation, and was unfair to the state government via his utterances.
Coach Agbo was quoted by Zambian media to have blamed hunger for the exit of the Nigerian side from the continental competition.
Meanwhile, the club’s 28-man contingent arrived the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu Monday after crashing out of the competition in Zambia.
The Flying Antelopes were on Saturday trashed 3-0 by Zesco United of Zambia in the 2nd leg of the encounter, after they had earlier held Rangers to a 2-2 draw during the 1st leg played at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Enugu about a fortnight ago.
Speaking to sports writers, Team Manager of Rangers, Amobi Ezeaku, said “we thank God for a safe trip back to Nigeria, positing that the team played fantastic football in Zambia, but could not advance in the continental competition due to ill luck.
According to him, “if you watched the game you will agree with me that Rangers played fantastic football, but we must also admit that Rangers since the beginning of this season has been short of luck, unlike last season.
He, however, called on teeming supporters and fans of the club to exercise patience with Nigeria’s defending champions, adding that the club is poised to sign some utility players in the ongoing transfer window, with a view to fortifying the club.
Spokesman of the club, Foster Chime, who was also part of the contingent, said the continental outing was an experience for Rangers.
Chime apologized to the club’s fans for the abysmal performance, stressing that the team would now concentrate on the domestic league.
