CAF Champions League campaigners, Lobi Stars of Makurdi have travelled to South Africa for their group match with Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa without their Team Manager, Barnabas Imenger.
The Nigerian representatives will face ‘the Brazilians’ tomorrow in a must win group A match in Pretoria.
However, for inexplicable reasons, the Team Manager of the club failed to obtain South African visa for the trip, a development that has already set tongues wagging.
The failure of the former international to travel with the club wouldn’t have raised so much dust but not long ago, a top official of the club Sam Aindigh was asked to leave Lobi Stars.
It is said the vice-chairman, Mike Idoko made allegations of anti-club activities against the former Co-ordinator of the club.
Consequently, there are insinuations that for the Team Manager also to be “left behind” for the trip to South Africa, there may be more to it than meets the eyes.
When contacted for comments, Imenger said he was shocked by his inability to be part of the trip to South Africa for the all-important match.
He said he was told that visa would be granted to on Thursday (yesterday) for him to travel today for tomorrow’s match but his efforts to join the team in South Africa have proved abortive.
Imenger said to add salt to injury, the NFF official who handled the visa procurement for the team has refused to pick his calls.
According to him, he wanted to know if his name was dropped from the list or the Embassy refused to grant him visa.
“To say that I am disappointed is an understatement. How can a team travel for such an important match with their Team Manager?.
“The team left on Wednesday and I was given every assurance that I would get my visa on Thursday and travel today.
“All my efforts to obtain the visa proved abortive. Unfortunately, the NFF man who processed the visas for the team refused to pick my calls.
“I don’t want to draw any conclusions but it is rather strange that I would be the only official who didn’t get his visa.
“When the team returns from South Africa, we shall look into the matter. I want to know what really happened,” he said.
Imenger however wished Lobi Stars success in their make or mar match against the 2016 CAF Champions League winners, Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa.
Lobi Stars with four points from four matches played so far are last in group A comprising of former champions, Wydad Casablanca, Mamelodi Sundowns and Asec Mimosa.
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