Evolution Cup: Top honours for Late Rasheed Balogun, Kunle Soname, four others as draw holds on Saturday

Organizers of Evolution Cup have announced plans to honor six personalities who have made outstanding impact on football development in Nigeria over the years. 

The maiden edition of the Evolution Cup will go down in Ikenne from February 21st to 26th, 2022. A preseason tournament established for Nationwide League One (NLO) clubs to prepare for the new season. 

Olatoye Olawale, who is the Project Strategist of the Evolution Cup confirmed that six people will be honored for their numerous support for football development in the country. 

“This is an oppurtunity to appreciate those who are working so hard, to make football develop in this country- and we are glad that this is coming in the first year of the tournament”. Olatoye said. 

Former General manager of Shooting Stars, Rasheed Balogun, who died on January 20th is a recipient of an award, for his commitment to football development in Nigeria.

The Proprietor of Remo Stars and the owner of Bet9ja, Kunle Soname will be recognized for supporting the development of Nigeria football over the years. 

While the Chairman Ekiti State Football Association, Bayo Olalenge will be recognized for his commitment to Ekiti football development, Tunde Shamsudeen will also be honored for his consistent delivery of a top notch preseason tournament. 

Other recipient of the award includes Chief Operating Officer of NLO, Olushola Ogunowo and Akanni Agboola, for their total support and commitment to grassroots football in Nigeria.

Also, draws for the maiden edition of Evolution Cup will be held at Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne on Saturday, 5th February, 2022, to start by 2pm with teams representative and other stakeholders in attendance.

The tournament, sponsored by Alphakay International Sports and Packaged by Sportsflames communication will feature Abraysports FC, Right 2 Win FC, Olansile FC, Hammola International FC and Beyond Limits FC.

Other teams that would be rolling out their aces for the 5-day soccer fiesta are Rolly FC, Magic Stars FC, Olukismet FC, Ilaji FC and SGFC Athletics .

Sack rumour won't distract Shooting Stars - Rasheed Balogun

The management of Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan (3SC) has refuted a report on social media and few mushroom sports websites, that HIS Excellency Governor Seyi Makinde had ordered the club to sack one of its players. 

The blogger had on Tuesday, published a report where he allegedly claim that Adeyemi,  a son of a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Alhaji Bisi Olopoeniyan, was dropped from the team at the order of the Oyo State Governor.

 

Astute football administrator par excellence, Rashid Balogun 'Ekule Kule' who piloted the Oluyole Warriors to gaining promotion to the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) after it triumphs at the Nigerian National League (NNL) Super 8 play-off in Enugu, said there was no iota of truth in the report, as its cheap blackmail to rubbish the fantastic gesture by  Oyo State Government towards the club.

According to 3SC General Manager, "Football is a practical thing in all climes, you will agree with me that it's a normal routine that at the end of every football season, all positively driven clubs will take time to access the depth of their squad. 

"They look at the Key Performance Indexes (KPI) of all their players during the football calendar, those found to have recorded good KPIs will be asked to stay and begin preparations for the new season while those considered as surplus requirements would be asked to leave or rather placed on the transfer market. 

"The Oluyole Warriors management did no wrong when it asked the coaching crew to undertake such process. 

" I can authoritatively confirm to you that the said player was not dropped, the list of players dropped has not been published. The few that left the club are only those who came forward for their release papers.

People should learn how to separate sports from politics.

"It's negative for critics using Bloggers to now conclude that it was a witch hunt on the said player, then quoting that after a big wig in the state had personal issues with the Governor, so the player became the victim of the fall-out. 

"How would the Governor who works round the clock every day be keeping tabs with numerous developmental projects in the nooks and crannies of Oyo State be more interested about Shooting Stars retaining or dropping a player.

"That statement is fallacious and whoever was quoted to have said so is been petty and childish. It's not as if Governor Seyi Makinde (GSM) is playing politics with the club and never has he done. 

" Shooting Stars remains a sports project of Oyo State Government and funded from taxes got from the good people of the state who are passionate and die-hard supporters of the club."

3SC signed Malomo from Joy Cometh not VIA Football Academy - Balogun

Shooting Stars Sports Club management have debunked the news making the rounds online about its midfielder, Malomo Taofeek Ayodeji been a product of VIA Football Academy.

The General Manager of the club, Rasheed Balogun has rubbished the report as he insisted that Malomo was signed by Shooting Stars from NNL side Joy Cometh.

According to Balogun, "There is no iota of truth in the report liking Malomo to VIA Football Academy.

"To put the records straight, the attacking midfielder was signed outrightly from Joy Comets before the start of the 2020/21 NNL season.

"We have all his valid documents and none showed VIA Football Academy. So where the writer of the story got his facts from I don't understand.

"For me, this is just mere distractions. I want to state clearly that Shooting Stars is not ready to negotiate with any agent or persons who wants to parade himself as representative of Malomo as the club made an outright signing of him from his parent club, Joy Cometh."

He had played for Joy Cometh for two and half seasons before moving to 3SC.

Malomo played a key role for the Oluyole Warriors in in the just concluded Nigeria National League (NNL) scoring seven goals in 20 matches.

At the NNL play-offs in Enugu, Malomo proved his worth getting the equalizing goal in 3SC 2-1 victory over perennial arch-rivals Bendel Insurance and went ahead to help his club gain promotion to the Nigerian Professional Football League(NPFL) after three seasons.

Shootings Stars Pick Ilaro as Camp Site

The management of the Shooting Stars Sports Club, 3SC, has picked Ilaro in Ogun State as camping site for the team in preparations for the new football season.