by george aluo
Sunsports can report today, and exclusively too, that the Federation Cup has arrived Lagos ahead of the much expected encounter between Nasarawa United and FC Ifeanyi Ubah.
The trophy arrived Lagos on board Dana Air Flight Wednesday evening accompanied by the Chairman of Akwa United, Paul Bassey.
A very authoritative source told us that Akwa United Secretariat in Uyo wore a mournful look on Wednesday as the trophy was brought down from its pedestal for the onward journey to Lagos.
A staff of Akwa United told us that the “…Chairman was reluctant to let the trophy go but he had no choice. We dreamt of retaining the trophy but lost out narrowly by penalties to Nasarawa United in the quarter finals.”
In a telephone chat with us on his way to Cairo for the CAF Champions League final this weekend, Bassey laughed and said “reluctant” may not be the right word to use, but there is no denying the fact that the cup got used to us, was well accepted by His Excellency the Governor Udom Emmanuel and the football family in the state.
“Even the cup would have loved to spend more time with us, yet we had to let her go. In doing so we told her that we will come for her next year and believe me we will,” Bassey said.
He also spoke on the sack of Coach Cooreman. “ I enjoyed an excellent working relationship with him, I respect his coaching knowledge and attitude to work, yet we veered off when it came to temperament and working relationship with his assistants.
“ We were always settling one issue or the other with his disciplinary record and his assistants and this affected the club adversely”
He said the Chief Coach Ere Dokubo was allowed to go because “the coaches we have talked to so far, prefer coming with their assistants.”
Can he let us in on “the coaches he has talked to so far”? Soon, very soon was his answer.
It will be recalled that for the first time in three seasons Akwa United ended the league without battling relegation fears, a situation Bassey said was nothing to be happy about.
“We belong to the top three…yes that is where we belong and that is our ambition in the coming season,” Bassey stated.