Remo Stars Owner Soname Blames Lack of Funds For Nigerian Clubs’ Continental Struggles

Remo Stars FC of Ikenne owner, Honourable Kunle Soname has blamed the inability of Nigerian teams to perform well during African continental club competitions on lack of enough money for football in the country.

Sports247 reports that, in what could be a warning that Remo Stars may not find the going easy when they compete in the CAF Champions League this sesson, Soname opined that money circulating in Nigeria’s domestic football sector is insufficient for a successful continental campaign.

He further pointed out that players in Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) clubs will be up against opponents who are better motivated with higher salaries and welfare packages, hence the edge most of them have against the country’s representatives.

Soname, who is a major share holder at UD Feriense of Portugal, stressed, “There is not enough money in this game for us in Nigeria. For us to compete with those guys, the money is simply not enough.”

He went on to state an example that happened with his team, when they were knocked out of both the CAF Confederation Cup and then Champions League in back-to-back years by ASFAR of Morocco, whose players he noted earn far much more than what any Nigerian club can pay.

The former chairman of Ikosi local government area in Lagos State recalled, “Remo Stars played against ASFAR, whose players earn so much more than ours.

“Here, they earn maybe 500/700 or in the maximum of 800; something like that. But, we are playing against players who earn four or five thousand dollars in their own clubs. So, most likely, seven out of ten times, they’ll defeat us.”

He then made an inference to the home-based Eagles, who are once again struggling to find their feet at the Championship of African Nations (CHAN 2024), which he blamed on the mass exodus that many players embark on in the Nigerian league at the end of every season.

“On the balance of probability, their chances of defeating you is higher, because they have better quality players.

“The best players in our league now, next season, you will not see them again. Those other guys will buy them. So, how do you compete with them?” Soname concluded rhetorically.

Sports247.ng