Following his impressive display at the recently concluded 2013 African Cup of Nations, AFCON, two Nigerian clubs Warri Wolves and Enugu Rangers are in battle over the ownership of Sunday Mba.
While Mba played for the Super Eagles at the 2013 AFCON in South Africa, the midfielder was referred to as a Warri Wolves player by the commentators and other media personalities profiling the player. But after the AFCON victory and a performance that could earn him a club abroad, Rangers have declared that Sunday Mba is their bonafide player contrary to the claims by Warri Wolves, where he last played.
Warri Wolves have maintained the overseas-bound Mba is their player, but Rangers have now come out to dismiss the claim.
Speaking on the issue, Enugu State FA boss, Chidi Ofor Okenwa said Mba has always been a player of Rangers as he was sent on loan to Dolphins in the first instance.
“We don’t have to start joining issues with Warri Wolves on who owns Sunday Mba. Any contractual agreement of a player is with the state FA, and that is Delta State Football Association. Like when Mba joined Rangers from Enyimba, he was duly registered in Enugu State FA and his papers are still on my table,” said Okenwa.
“Even his loan deal with Dolphins was duly documented.”
“Warri Wolves are crying wolf. We don’t have any business with them because Mba is a registered player of Rangers. He joined us from Enyimba, then we loaned him to Dolphins, who in turn loaned him to Warri Wolves without our consent,” added Rangers media officer Foster Chime.
“We don’t have to start joining issues with Wolves, who have started crying wolf as their name goes. Mba is our player. A player has the right to say where he wants to play and Mba has come out to say he wants to play in Rangers.
“Rangers even gave him transport fare to Abuja to team up with the Eagles before they left for Faro camp in Portugal. He was training with us, his Honda Accord is parked in our Enugu camp and I know he will be glad to be with us,” he said.
As the Eagles prepare for the Faro, Portugal camp for the 2013 AFCON in December, mtnfootball.com quoted Sunday Mba on December 4, 2012 as saying, “If the coach didn’t have confidence in us, he would not call for a training camp for us. So I don’t buy that school of thought that we stand no chance. Its football and anything could happen,” referring to him as a former Warri Wolves player and a new Enugu Rangers signing in the report.
In the absence of supporting documents to the claims of either of the two clubs, the ownership issue may drag on, and may affect Sunday Mba’s transfer when he finally gets a club abroad.
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