By Daily Sports on April 6, 2017

My club, Benin Warriors FC, based in the Upper Sakpoba area of downtown Benin City, are preparing to play in the Edo state FA cup for the first time in our young history. It’s a grassroots club with young players looking to make a step up in their careers. The feeling within the club is a mixture of excitement, anxiety and pride.

Every major tournament is viewed with excitement by players who are hungry for a football challenge. As a grassroots player you hope to make a positive impression that can see your career get a lift. European football is the target for most players here and with top football personalities, politicians of high calibre, soccer agents and fans trooping in to watch the games, the FA Cup can serve as a springboard for the achievement of that dream.

Early last year my club looked forward to participating in the FA Cup. The young players (the average age is 18-20) were very eager to join their peers in showing their stuff in front of the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium crowd. They told me that we should do everything to play in the competition and I promised I would.

Hampered by cash constraints, I began making an appeal for sponsorship to enable us pay the enrollment fee and get good kits to play. Unfortunately, we could not find an adequate sponsorship deal that wouldn’t negatively affect our future ambitions as a club.

Despite attempts by other clubs to lure our players to play in last year’s FA Cup, the lads showed loyalty and believed (as they still do) in the project that we are embarking on at the club and didn’t want to make their bow in the FA Cup for another club.

I promised to register the team for the Edo State League which held some few months later and the players were excited. In the state league we weren’t given much of a chance to win, not only because we were making our debut, but also because many felt we were not rich and that we didn’t have the name recognition of some more illustrious clubs in the state.

But we gave it our all last year. I’ve always believed in the talent in our fold, but the lads surprised me with their guts and they were unfazed by the occasion of the league. We made history by winning the league on our debut.

Now, the FA Cup – also known as Challenge Cup – is a bigger challenge. I understand that we are not favorites and rightly so, because there are more traditional sides (like NPFL side Bendel Insurance) in our way as well as teams like BJ Foundation and Inneh Stars who have quality players aplenty. There’s a certain nervousness about what the draws will throw up for us.

But the prospects of playing in the FA Cup nonetheless is a source of great pride for me. Even if we play one match or all the games we would be grateful for the opportunity of being a part of a great competition that is celebrated worldwide.

I have told my players to play with freedom and enjoy the experience. What will be will be.

The draws for the Edo FA cup comes up Saturday 8 April at the media center of the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium after which the kick off date would be announced.

•Photo shows Benin Warriors players in a recent fitness session.

Liverpool banned from signing academy players for trying to lure 12-year old player

The English Premier League has ruled that Liverpool will be suspended from signing of academy players for two years, with the second year suspended, after it was discovered that the club illegally tried to entice a young boy, who belongs to fellow Premier League side Stoke, into signing for them.

Specifically, Liverpool will be prohibited from signing any academy players who have been registered with a Premier League or EFL club in the preceding 18 months.

Although the ban is for two years the second 12 months has been suspended for a three-year period and will only be activated in the event of any further similar breach by the club.

Liverpool have accepted the sanction.

ESPN reports that the case involves forbidden inducements offered to a 12-year-old at Stoke and whom Liverpool accept they spoke to before they should have and also paid for him and some of his family to attend a game at Anfield.

Liverpool also offered to pay the player’s school fees, which were being paid by Stoke at this time, but this was a breach of newly introduced regulations which state a benefit can only be offered if it is applicable to all youngsters across the club’s academy and this was not the case.

It is reported by PA Sport that Liverpool offered to pay these fees because Stoke were already doing so and had every intention of signing the youngster – contrary to claims they reneged on the deal and walked away – until the Premier League stepped in as result of their interpretation of rule 299.1 and specifically relating to the payment of the player’s school fees.

Rule 299.1 states: “No club shall induce or attempt to induce a player to become registered as an academy player by that club by offering him, or any person connected with him, either directly or indirectly, a benefit or payment of any description whether in cash or in kind.”

It is reported by PA Sport that the registration process and Liverpool’s transparency and openness on the school fees issues is what has ultimately led to the investigation and sanction.

The Premier League ruling stated: “The club will pay a fine of £100,000 and will be prohibited from registering any academy players who have been registered with a Premier League or EFL club in the preceding 18 months.

“This ban will last for two years, with the second year suspended for a three-year period (to be activated in the event of any further similar breach by the club).”

Source Daily Sports

Posted April 6, 2017

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