Coach Solomon Ogbeide has said he left Sunshine Stars job on mutual agreement with the new management of the club.
Ogbeide, who led Sunshine to a sixth-place finish in Premier League, told our correspondent on Thursday that he was not sacked as reported.
The former Warri Wolves coach insisted he left when the new management led by Dapo Ajibade refused to renew his contract.
Ajibade’s immediate predecessor, Ola Mafo, had earlier in the week said the management would extend Ogbeide’s contract, saying his experience would help the Akure club’s quest for a continental ticket next season.
But after Mafo was appointed as the deputy governorship aspirant for the Peoples Democratic Party, Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko appointed Ajibade as the new chairman of the club.
Ajibade on Wednesday announced Kayode Olujohungbe, who was Ogbeide’s assistant, as the new coach of the team.
Ogbeide, who spoke with our correspondent on the telephone, said Ajibade told him at a meeting after his resumption that the club could no longer afford his wages.
“I was not sacked by Sunshine because the contract I had with them expired at the end of the season and they had not renewed it with me before the former chairman (Mafo) left the club,” he said.
“Ajibade told me that he came to the club to pay salaries promptly. He said Sunshine was owing many people and would not like that to continue. The club still owes me four months’ salary. “
The former Bendel Insurance manager added, “The chairman said they were looking inwards in a bid to strengthen the team for next season – which was part of the recommendation I gave in my report at the end of the season.
“I got the job in March when the club was only able to gather two points in eight matches but I was able to take them to the sixth position.
“I am happy that the record I have in the league speaks for itself. The development has rather announced my availability to other clubs and now I have some other offers from clubs in the country but nothing concrete has been said yet.”
credit: punchng