How Nigerian referees frustrated me out of Nigeria Leagues - Abdulgafaar 36 Lion boss

How Nigerian referees frustrated me out of Nigeria Leagues - Abdulgafaar 36 Lion boss

By Admin

Alhaji Abdulgafaar Liameed does not need much introduction as far as Nigeria football is concern as he solely financed 36 Lion Football Club for over a decade.

Abdulgafaar said he was frustrated out of the Nigerian Leagues reason why he gave his Nigeria National League NNL slot to Nilayo Football Club free of charge.

Liameed, who has strong blood ties with Benin Republic, is renowned for grooming young talents like Super Eagles duo Junior Ajayi, who is now with Al-Ahly of Egypt, and Imoh Ezekiel, at Kortjik of Belgium.

He also played a key role in taking scores of young players to United States of America and central Europe free of charge, and once had 36 Lion FC make waves in the lower cadre of the Nigerian league.

"I did not collect one kobo and I am saying it with all sense of responsibility that I did not collect any money from Nilayo FC.

" I gave the slot to Nilayo for free. Bukola Olopade is a good friend of mine, so why would I sell the slot to him? Sincerely, I had two buyers but I choose that route," he told Opera News.

Asked why he gave the slot to Nilayo FC, he said the powers that be inLagos FA and Nigerian referees frustrated him in taking the decision.

"36 Lion Football Club will not be participating in the 2019/2020 Nigeria National League Season due to rumors reaching us that the powers that be in Lagos State Football have decided to frustrate our team this upcoming season due to reasons best known to them.

"We struggle to survive and stay afloat last season, 2018/2019. Mistake calls from all the referees that officiated our matches both home and away were rampant and flagrant.

"We can't continue to spend our hard earned money on the development of football and empowerment of young boys who have chosen football as a profession when, according to flying words, few people in the Lagos FA are bent on frustrating us. 36 Lion FC has been a Lagos darling team for 19 years with a fan base of over five thousand hard core lovers of the game, and also another ten thousand fans cutting across social media with six thousand six hundred and twenty on Facebook alone.

"There has also been a vow by our supporters that referees who come and cheat us this coming season will not leave the stadium unhurt. The emotional trauma for our players and officials are also immeasurable. We can control our players and officials but that of our fans has proven very difficult. We’ve had meetings with our various supporters club coordinators in Lagos Island, Surulere (Shitta precisely), Mushin, Oshodi, Agege, Ikorodu and Badagry which yielded nothing positive.

"We won't be participating in this upcoming season or maybe two more seasons. We shall continue our other football activities. Our training sessions will be the same. We will try and participate in the Lagos FA cup so as to continue our investigation and also to try and ascertain the rumors.

Abdulgafaar Liameed contested to become Lagos FA Chairman and lost to incumbent Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi.