Good morning Everyone!
Once the Wednesday of a week passes by, the week is pretty much done and all attention shifts toward the weekend. For us, there’s a small matter to be dealt with at the weekend, but we could talk about that tomorrow. And the day after. Today, I have just one little thing of concern.
When was the last time you saw an interview from an Enyimba player? Except of course the very doctored ones coming from the club? Honestly I can’t recall. Even the ones being pushed out by the club – the interviews are so far and inbetween and you just wonder why.
I know that no player in the League has it in their contracts that they are forbidden from speaking to the media. So why the absolute boycotting/refusal to speak with the media? It almost seems like there is a gag order from the club banning players from talking to the media. It does appear the most likely reason.
The Question then becomes, why? Why isn’t Enyimba letting her players speak to the media? Clearly, the bulk of Nigerian local players are cowards – they’ll rather keep their mouths shut to preserve their income and ensure they are not blacklisted/made the scapegoat. But this weird new tradition synonymous with this current administration only hurts the club. Ill explain.
Everyone knows players are owed backlog of estacode and match bonuses. The information is so everywhere that chastising players in a bid to keep this information from coming out, only further showcases the dictatorship tendencies we have seen at Enyimba in recent times. Enyimba teams of old had player quotes in Newspapers and on the internet frequently.
So this new “ometa” habit is only amplifying the suspicions of those of us in the media. In fact in the West, when a person avoids eye contact, avoids speaking up to you when you approach them, they are some signs of human trafficking. So you can be running a football club yet exhibiting signs of human trafficking.
Players should be able to have their say regarding performances, their brands, expectations from fans, match day experiences and personal goals and ambitions – this should be basic. Not running a football club like a concentration camp where players are hounded into silence. It doesn’t help the good will this club is trying to muster.
In addition to this, Enyimba must work with the media Organizations in the cities – Aba, Umuahia and Uyo to throw some positive PR on the club. We had previously lamented the poor stadium attendances to games. This will strongly address that. These Radio and TV Channels have more reach than you can imagine – so why settle for N3 million in gate takings when you can easily make up to 5 times that amount from increased attendance?
If you’re unsure how to turn a sports brand like Enyimba into a profitable business, why not consider seeking advice from experts who have the knowledge? Talk with people who can provide valuable insights and guidance.
Surround yourself with knowledgeable advisors, rather than just having yes-men/glorified bouncers who offer little constructive input.
Thats your lot for today, ill be back tomorrow.
‘EnyimbaEnyi
