By Jacob Ajom
The Chairman of the Cross River State Football Coaches Association, Itta Egbe has made a passionate appeal to the governor of Cross River State, Professor Ben Ayade to see to the immediate turn around of the fortunes of Unicem Rovers Football Club of Calabar and Pelican Stars also of Calabar.

Ben Ayade

Speaking from his base in Calabar, Egbe an ex-international and a former Rovers goalkeeper, observed that the two clubs were passing through hard times, “so hard that they don’t even have boots to play with.”

He was bitter that the situation had deteriorated to the extent that Pelican Stars, once the flagship club in women football in the country have become the whipping team in the country. “Can you imagine that Pelicans lost 3-1 to Sunshine Babes of Akure in Calabar at the weekend? This is unheard of in Nigerian football; but that is the reality,” Egbe lamented.

He called on Professor Ayade to take urgent steps in arresting the situation, adding that it was the only way to motivate the players.

“When I think of these two clubs and what they represent to the average Cross Riverian, my heart bleeds. Professor Ayade must look into this and ensure the clubs get back to winning ways. He must not allow them collapse during his time,” Egbe  counselled.