BY KATE OBODO
Players of Shark FC of Port Harcourt are currently enjoying a breath of fresh air, after collecting their full sign-on fee for the season last week. With the new development, players are now charged to do better in the remaining matches of the season.

According to the club’s spokesman Confidence Idaa, the payment has elicited a bubbly mood within the camp of the Port-Harcout outfit.

He said that were now in the mood to put up convincing displays in the remaining matches of the season.

“They were paid their sign-on-fee last week, normally they would have asked and be troubled about it but because their salaries have been regular that is why they were not too worrisome.

“The most important thing is that players have collected their 100 percent of the sign-on-fee instead of 40 percent as was the case in the past. The management decided to pay them off”,

He said that efforts were on to organise friendly matches for the team in readiness for the final phase of the league season.

“”For now, nothing is really happening in the team, what we are doing is to get involve in friendly matches to keep players in form for the remaining season,” Idaa said

Cash boost for Enyimba

Heartland have been paid half of their signing-on fees for the season ahead of their Nigeria Federation Cup final against Enyimba.

An excited Heartland skipper Chinedu Efugh told MTNFootball.com: “We have been paid half of this season’s sign-on fees and most of us have collected our money. “Sure, this will to a very large extent boost the players’ morale for the final of the Federation Cup. The players are in very high spirit after this payment.”

Heartland last featured in the cup final in 1999, where they lost to Plateau United.

They defeated Bayelsa United 2-1 in the semi-finals, while stopped Ocean Boys 4-3 on penalties after scores were tied at 1-1 by fulltime.

No date has yet been fixed for this year’s cup final in Lagos, but it is not expected to be before Enyimba’s final group game in the CAF Champions League against Cotonsport of Cameroon on September 18 in Aba.

The eventual cup winners will feature in next year’s CAF Confederation Cup.

 Crown counsel players

Spokesman of Crown FC of Ogbomosho, Kunle Oyeleye has told players of the club that they would have reason to smile before the end of the season.

Oyeleye told Inside Out Premier League that though the team have been confronted with financial problem of late, but not to the extend of players being on strike.

“Although things have not been too rosy for the club of late , but we have been able to pay the players 65% of their sign -on-fee and will still pay more. For the salary, we have paid up to July, and we will paying for August soon.

“What we are facing is also happening to other clubs in the Nigeria Premier League. Before the season ends, we will pay them whatever we are owing, so that when they resume for a new season, it will be based on a new negotiation”, Oyeleye said