There is a strong indication that the Coach of the Sunshine Stars Football Club of Akure , Austine Eguavoen has resigned following the non - impressive performance of the club in the 2016 / 2017 Nigeria Professional Football League .
The Sunshine lost at home to the visiting Plateau United of Jos 1 - 2 in their last NPFL Week 23 match played at the Akure Township Stadium , Akure on Wednesday . The match was played behind closed doors .
A source in the Sunshine told our correspondent that since after the Wednesday match , the former Super Eagles handler was no where to be found and all efforts to reach him by the management was not successful .
According to the source , the coach did not tender any official resignation letter before his purported departure .
The source said , “ Immediately after the match against Plateau United on Wednesday , Eguavoen has been incommunicado , he could not be reached and he had earlier promised that if there is no improvement in the team , he would walk away .
“ It is very obvious that he was not happy with the performance of the team since he came on board and there was no improvement , that may be the reason he left . So it means he has walked away when he has now disappeared .
Eguaveon was hired by the three man - committee headed by the former Director -General of the National Sports Commission, Mr . Gbenga Elegbeleye , set up by the state government to rescue the team from relegating . But the team played five matches under the former Nigeria international , won two and lost three and currently at the relegation zone of the league table with 17 points .
To this end, the management of the Sunshine Stars in a statement issued by its Media Officer , Mr . Chris Okunuwa , on Friday confirmed the development . It said it had received and accepted the disengagement notice of Coach Eguavoen.
The statement said , “ We appreciate the coach for his time with our club and wish him the best for the future .
Sequel to the development , Okunuwa disclosed that the management of the Akure - based club had appointed the club’ s former assistant coach , Akin Olowookere as the head coach of the team in an interim capacity.
According to the statement , the former junior international will be assisted by coach Boye Ogunderu and the appointment takes immediate effects .
Meanwhile , scores of members of the Sunshine Stars Supporters Club on Friday stormed the governor ’s office, Akure , appealing to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to come to the rescue of the team .
The protesters were armed with placards with different inscriptions such as ‘ Arakunrin help Sunshine Stars ,’ ‘ The sun must shine again ‘ Arakunrin Sunshine Stars must not relegate ’ among others .
The supporters also demanded that the governor should appoint a chairman for the Ondo State Football Agency for proper administration of the Sunshine Stars .
The Sunshine lost at home to the visiting Plateau United of Jos 1 - 2 in their last NPFL Week 23 match played at the Akure Township Stadium , Akure on Wednesday . The match was played behind closed doors .
A source in the Sunshine told our correspondent that since after the Wednesday match , the former Super Eagles handler was no where to be found and all efforts to reach him by the management was not successful .
According to the source , the coach did not tender any official resignation letter before his purported departure .
The source said , “ Immediately after the match against Plateau United on Wednesday , Eguavoen has been incommunicado , he could not be reached and he had earlier promised that if there is no improvement in the team , he would walk away .
“ It is very obvious that he was not happy with the performance of the team since he came on board and there was no improvement , that may be the reason he left . So it means he has walked away when he has now disappeared .
Eguaveon was hired by the three man - committee headed by the former Director -General of the National Sports Commission, Mr . Gbenga Elegbeleye , set up by the state government to rescue the team from relegating . But the team played five matches under the former Nigeria international , won two and lost three and currently at the relegation zone of the league table with 17 points .
To this end, the management of the Sunshine Stars in a statement issued by its Media Officer , Mr . Chris Okunuwa , on Friday confirmed the development . It said it had received and accepted the disengagement notice of Coach Eguavoen.
The statement said , “ We appreciate the coach for his time with our club and wish him the best for the future .
Sequel to the development , Okunuwa disclosed that the management of the Akure - based club had appointed the club’ s former assistant coach , Akin Olowookere as the head coach of the team in an interim capacity.
According to the statement , the former junior international will be assisted by coach Boye Ogunderu and the appointment takes immediate effects .
Meanwhile , scores of members of the Sunshine Stars Supporters Club on Friday stormed the governor ’s office, Akure , appealing to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to come to the rescue of the team .
The protesters were armed with placards with different inscriptions such as ‘ Arakunrin help Sunshine Stars ,’ ‘ The sun must shine again ‘ Arakunrin Sunshine Stars must not relegate ’ among others .
The supporters also demanded that the governor should appoint a chairman for the Ondo State Football Agency for proper administration of the Sunshine Stars .
