Knocks For Enyimba Over Handwriting Jersey Number

Stakeholders have called for sanctions on reigning champions of the Nigeria Premier Football League, Enyimba, for embarrassing the country during the first leg of the quarter-final of the African Football League match against Wydad FC at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on Sunday.

Enyimba Defender Gabriel’s jersey No.3 was handwritten instead of it being printed, a development that has attracted condemnation.

The anomaly was however played down by an official of the club, saying it was as a result of a mixup between continental body CAF and two-time African champions Enyimba.

“Basically, there was a mix-up during the registration with CAF. Innocent Gabriel’s squad number is 5 but we realised they registered him as number 3 on the CAF system. We realised late and we just had to improvise,” the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

But stakeholders have said the mistake by Enyimba was a disgrace to the country’s football.

According to a former Chairman of the Gombe State FA, Shuaib Gara-Gombe, “For a team like Enyimba there is no excuse for such an act because they were informed that they would be playing in the Africa Football League and that competition is a tournament of its own and different from the League and even the CAF Champions League.

“Enyimba should be above writing the name and number of a player with a marker in an international game, it is an embarrassment and totally unacceptable and therefore they should be heavily sanctioned.”

Also, retired Nigeria striker Victor Ezeji, who won the CAF Champions League with Enyimba, was also left disappointed.

He said, “In as much as there was a mix-up, whose fault was it because they gave their squad numbers to CAF, not CAF giving to them, so where was the mix-up coming from?

“Let’s agree it was a mistake, but who made the mistake? In a situation where something like this happens, somebody’s head has to roll because it is a major disgrace to Nigerian football. It’s a continental game that the whole world watched, it is not acceptable.

“That mistake was an avoidable one if they had done the right thing because when I was playing with Club Africain in Tunisia we used to travel with a small printing machine, these are things that our clubs should be looking at but the problem still lies with the fact that we are used to wearing just one jersey and even when it gets torn there is no replacement for it.

“I know there are printing presses in Uyo that they could have quickly used but they have seen it as our usual way and they used a marker. Now, look at the embarrassment they brought on the country.”

Comment on X formerly Twitter, Journalist, Osasu Obayiuwana, said, “You think Stake, your shirt sponsor, will be happy with this rubbish, @EnyimbaFC?

“I am sure they won’t be taking kindly to the jokes and derision the brand they are associated with is currently at the very rude end of, when the #AFL should be a good PR window for them.”