As preparations for the 2019/2020 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) gets underway, the management of Plateau United FC of Jos has released 17 players.
The club’s Media Officer, Albert Dakup, said that decision was to reposition the club for better performance in the coming season.
“The decision was taken at the end of a meeting between management and the technical crew shortly before the team embarked on recess.
“The 17 players were deemed surplus to requirement due to indiscipline and decline in productivity as well as those who were on loan to the club.
ALSO READ: Gbenga Ogunbote quits Rangers
“The players have been communicated and told to surrender the club’s properties in their possession as all their entitlements have been paid to them in full,” he said in a statement.
According to the media officer, the Jos-based club has taken steps to recruit new players in place of the departing ones.
Dakup said that negotiations with some fresh legs who had been penciled down has commenced.
It will be recalled that Plateau United embarked on a recess last month and will resume preparations for the incoming season on July 29.
ALSO READ: Dangote, Otedola pledge dollar rain for Eagles
Meanwhile, Plateau United FC has entered into partnership with a foreign firm, Ejig Sports and Millennium Holiday Group for the production and supply of the club’s kits.
Dakup, said on Friday in Jos that apart from the production of kits, the Turkey-based firm would also assist in marketing Plateau United players to Turkish clubs.
The media officer quoted the club’s General Manager, Pius Henwan, as expressing delight with the partnership.
“The partnership will re-position the team as one of the household names in the Nigerian league.
ALSO READ: AFCON 2019: Nigeria to play Algeria in Semi-final
“The partnership will also include owning a club shop to sell quality replica jerseys that will go a long way in boosting the revenue base of the club.
“It will reduce over dependence on the Plateau State Government, the sole financiers of the club,” Henwan said in a statement.
Wole Oyewo, Country Representative of Ejig Consultancy and Holiday Group, expressed happiness that the firm entered into partnership with Plateau United.
Oyewo said that aside kitting the club, it would assist the club in preparing for the new season by taking the teams to overseas training tour.
The country representative according to the statement took time to expose the management to the business side of football which was what most teams in Europe do
to make them self-reliant.