Wolves players boycott training over unpaid allowance

Warri Wolves players have embarked on an indefinite strike over their unpaid salaries and match allowance.

A player of the club, who pleaded anonymity because of fear of victimisation, told our correspondent that the club owes the players eight months salaries and also eight matches allowance.

“As I am talking to you, we have been on strike since Monday because we didn’t attend training,” the player said.

“We are fighting for our right and it is the channel we believe will make our voices heard faster than any other.

“We are owed eight months in salaries and eight matches allowance. We have talked with the management of the club several times and they have refused to yield to our cries.

“Whenever we threaten to go on strike, they will plead with us and pay one or two matches allowance, which is usually not enough to cater for anything.

“We are also owed our signing-on fees for this season. The matches we have left are very few and if we don’t do what we are doing now, we will end the season unpaid and with stories.”

The League Management Company frowns upon clubs owing players and has issued warnings to three clubs at different times this season over the issue.

But our source said the players are afraid to take their case to the LMC for fear of the club’s wrath.

He said, “We cannot go to the LMC because the players who did such have their names on the petition and may end up sitting on the bench in a risk of their career.

“The best we can do is boycott training and talk to the press which we are sure will grant us anonymity while getting the issue to the appropriate ears.”

Meanwhile, the club’s Media Officer, Moses Etu, confirmed the incident but refused to comment on the club’s debt status.

“It is true that the players didn’t train but the management is in control of the situation,” he said.

“It happens everywhere as players always have one grievance or the other against the club. It will be sorted out soon.”