Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Wednesday in Ibadan promised to transform the state-owned football club, the Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC), to become the best club in the country.
Makinde, who made the promise during an interactive meeting he held with the club’s management and the team’s Supporters Club, said 3SC was a club with history in Nigeria and Africa.
“This is why government will do the needful to pick the club up from the lower level it is now, and take it to the high level.
“The club will be properly funded, the players will be motivated and we will give the required resources and attention to the club,’’ he said.
The governor urged the club management to stay focused and brace up for the future, saying government would play its part and the results would show very soon.
“I can assure the club management and all sports lovers that the club will get promoted this season, even if it takes a miracle to happen.’’
Makinde disclosed that a Special Assistant in charge of 3SC would be appointed in the Office of the Governor for effective attention.
He directed the management of the club to forward a proposal to his office on all of the areas where the club needed to fortify.
The governor, however, pointed out that Sports and Politics were two different issues that should not be mixed, saying he did not care how the club’s management team got appointed.
“My concern is how the management team will work hard to achieve desired goals. But I will make changes that will bring the desired results,’’ he said.
Makinde urged the club’s players and management team to justify the resources expended on the club by bringing good results.
Earlier, the Acting Permanent Secretary in the state’s Ministry of Youths and Sports, Olubisi Adegoke, attributed some of the challenges facing the club to lack of policy direction.
“I believe we should establish a Football Academy for the 3SC, where young players will be nurtured for future use,’’ she said.
The club’s handlers later apologised to the governor over the failure of the club to secure promotion to the 2019/2020 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
The officials are Edith Agoye, the club coach, Rasheed Balogun, General Manager (GM), Dimeji Lawal, the Team Manager (TM), and Oluwafemi Oyeniyi, Chairman of the Supporters Club.
Agoye assured the governor that the club has competent players who could help 3SC secure promotion to the NPFL this season.
Lawal and Balogun, however, implored the governor to fund the club adequately and timely.
The duo also urged the governor to occasionally visit the players during training, saying such a gesture would raise the players’ morale.
Oyeniyi, on his part, called on the governor to provide a befitting bus for the team, as well as utility vehicles for the coach and GM.
Ibadan-based 3SC failed to secure promotion into the 2019/2020 NPFL from the 2018/2019 Nigeria National League (NNL).
This was after they lost 0-3 to Akwa Starlets of Uyo in their playoff match in Asaba.
