Don’t let Delta football sink under your tenure, Oneya tells Okocha

Former chairman of Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Gen. Dominic Obukadata Oneya (rtd) has challenged the chairman of Delta Football Association (DFA), ex-international Austin Jay Jay Okocha to use his professional experience to rescue the state football from collapse.

Okocha, a former captain of the Super Eagles was elected in February 2015 as chairman of the DFA, succeeding Amaju Pinnick who had already moved been elected President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). Okocha was the vice-chairman of DFA under Pinnick’s reign.

However, things seem not to be working properly in Delta State football. Warri Wolves got relegated from the top flight Nigeria Football Premier League (NPFL) to the NNL at the end of last season. The club is wobbling and fumbling in the lower division, and some stakeholders are worried that if urgent steps are not taking, Warri Wolves, which is the Pride of Delta football might go into extinction.

Speaking with The Guardian yesterday, Oneya, whose tenure as NFA chairman saw the Super Eagles qualified for the Korea/Japan 2002 FIFA World Cup said that the current state of football in Delta state is ‘worrisome.’

“ I am so sad seeing the position of Warri Wolves on the NNL league table. Things are really looking bad for the team and the earlier Okocha act and save the situation, the better. Warri Wolves is not the only club affected in Delta and I know that the current economic situation is not helping matter. But Okocha should create time to find out the things working against the club. He should work closely with officials of the Delta Sports Commission, players and coaches of the various clubs.” Oneya said.

While Warri Wolves is languishing at the bottom of the table, Delta Force of Asaba, which started brightly has suddenly dropped to the middle of the table, thereby putting a question mark on its quest for promotion ticket this season.

Some stakeholders are worried that Delta Sports Commission headed by Tony Okowa got this wrong from the beginning of the season when it decided to float six clubs under a biting economy, Warri Wolves FC in Warri, Delta Stars in Ughalli, Isoko United in Oleh, Ika Rangers in Agbor, Delta Force in Asaba and Delta Queens in Kwale.