The management of Rangers International F.C, Enugu, has bid its former captain and defense lynchpin, Temitope Olusesi, farewell as his captaincy over three seasons came to an end with the selection of Uche John as his replacement by the technical adviser and management as preparations for the fast approaching season continues.
Administrative Secretary of the club, Barrister Ferdinand Ugwuarua, in an exclusive chat, Tuesday, stated that the club will miss the ‘Never Say Die’ spirit always exhibited by Olusesi in his early days with the club while charging the Super Eagles B captain to always remember his good early days when he joined the club from Oriental rivals, Heartland F.C.
“Tope had been a great footballer since he joined our team from Heartland in the 2015/2016 season and his dedication led to his being made captain after inspirational captain, Okey Odita retired from active football and went into coaching after the ‘Asaba Miracle’. It is our wish that he does well in his future endeavors”,
“However, the club will not wish to join issues with our former captain regarding his captaincy and departure from the club as we have moved on from his period as captain and his refusal to renegotiate his contract with the team but facts should be placed on the table in as much as we understand that such may haunt his career”.
The astute administrator cum legal luminary further stated, “The captaincy of a club is a privileged position bestowed on a player with leadership quality to act as a link between the footballers, technical and management staff”.
“This privilege was given to Olusesi in the 2019/2020 season to continue from where Okey Odita left but, it has been three seasons of turbulence in the dressing room and we have been at our best to manage his excesses as a captain”.
“As captain of the team, Olusesi practically held the club to ransom at the start of last season that he must bring a player to the club before he will sign the contract forms for us which we did but we regret that move now just as he displayed while his captaincy lasted, that he does not really know what it means to captain a football club particularly a club with rich history of orderliness that has sustained it for over 52 years in the premiership without testing the murky waters of relegation”,
“The club decides who captains its team at every point and decided to move the captain’s arm-band to another player after Olusesi showed in his conduct and charcter that he was not ready to continue with us for the coming season even when we presented him with that opportunity and he reneged preferring to have us as a place-holder and returning for our pre-season activities late”,
We read his media interview where he fruitlessly attempted to creat an impression of not being treated well but find solace in his honest admission in the same interview that he was earlier invited by the club’s management to renegotiate his contract for the new season but that he declined”,
“Let it be clearly stated that the 5-star, Rangers Players’ camp is for registered players of the club, that have subsisting contracts, which undergoes renovation at the end of every season when players are on break and for our former captain to return from national duties, fully aware of camp rules, to have access to the camp, shows sign of disrespect to the club”,
“With the ranking of Rangers in the comity of clubs in the nation’s premier league and its experience, Rangers has the requisite authority to advise fellow clubs on what traits of character to identify in their players with capacity to pull down their clubs”,
“Discipline, contentment with their earnings and respect for the club’s goal against the growing players compromise of their own games for personal gains amongst other ills. In all these, the club’s captain comes handy in assistance to save his club”,
Barrister Ugwuarua further said, “It is an established fact that whatever success Olusesi enjoys today, Rangers International F.C, the ‘Flying Antelopes’ provided him the platform and it is our resolve to continue to give target-driven footballers the same platform to showcase their God given talent and make a name for themselves and liberate their families economically”,
“We have gone past the era of Olusesi and focused on building a team that will challenge on all fronts in the fast approaching football season with the target of annexing a double as a send-forth gift for our number one supporter and sponsor, H.E Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the executive governor of Enugu state”.
