CAF Confederations Cup: Warri Wolves face uphill task in Bobo Dioulasso

ONE of Nigeria’s representatives in this year’s CAF Confederations Cup, Warri Wolves, could not jet out to Burkina Faso yesterday as widely reported by a section of the media. 

  Players and officials of the team arrived in Lagos yesterday afternoon only to be told at their Golden Destiny Hotel, along Airport Road, that the ASKY Airlines, which was originally scheduled to take them to Burkina Faso vie Lome, Togo, was fully booked. 

  An official explained that the airline would only accommodate them to Lome, but there were no available seats to Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso.

  The team made up of 16 players and eight officials, is expected to be airlifted by Ivorian Air this morning from Lagos to Ouagadougou, after a stop over in Abidjan. Two players, who were originally scheduled for the trip, were dropped at the hotel because they did not have their International Transfer Certificate (ITC).

  The Guardian learnt yesterday that the team had left Warri, Delta State, late on Wednesday for Lagos only to end up in Benin City after the two vehicles they were traveling in developed faults on the way. The late departure from Warri was ‘due’ to delay in release of funds for the trip.

  Some of the players grumbled aloud on arrival at Golden Destiny Hotel in Lagos yesterday, alleging that the state government was no longer giving them the financial support they need to make good impact in their continental assignment.

  “We are playing against Racing Club de Bobo-Dioulasso (RCB) on Saturday and here we are still battling with air tickets in Lagos. It is not a straight journey because we have to travel to the north of Burkina Faso on arrival tomorrow (today). We have not been paid 30 per cent of our sign on fees for the 2013/2014 season not to talk of this new season. If Delta State government is not ready for Warri Wolves any longer, they should tell us,” one of the players lamented.

  The change in traveling arrangement notwithstanding, Coach Paul Aigbogun assured yesterday that his team would record success in the battle of Bobo-Dioulasso.

  Among the players on the trip to Burkina Faso are goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, team captain Goodluck Onamado, Eyimofe Joseph, Semiu Liadi, who joined from Enyimba, Monday Osagie, Oke Ogagotewho and Ibenegbu Ikechukwu.

  Others are Michael Egbeta, Michael Okoyoh, Joseph Osadiaye, Stanley Dimgba, Abu Azeez and Bright Akpojuvwewo.