Why 3SC Stopped New Deal For Howard

After several days of digging for the truth behind the refusal of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) to renew the contract of the coach, Franklin Howard, that led it back to the Premier League after three seasons in the lower division.
Naijaligue.blogspot.com understands that the former Union Bank head coach’s attitude off the pitch was one of the major reasons that the club decided to hand him a new deal, as officials of the backroom staff often had an altercation with him over one decision or another.
Howard was even said to have disagreed a number of times with his employer when issues concerning the team was raised especially in the area of selection of players and training methods.
The former Flying Eagles’ player was reported to have been at loggerheads with Shooting Stars’ team manager and another ex-international, Ajibade Babalade. But the reason for their beef remains unknown.
“The truth is that Shooting Stars would not want to come out in the open and say that they sacked Howard because of his unbearable attitude off the pitch because they want to give him some respect for what he has done for the club last season. But the truth is that Howard is a good coach but he will need to work on his attitude and especially his temper.
“Remember last season that you people in the media reported that Howard and Babalade had a face-off. Well it was true though the club tried to diffuse the problem then because it was capable of causing disunity among the players and the management. Officials of the club have always complained about Howard’s poor skills in relating to them and even the players,” our source said.
Reacting to this allegation, Howard leapt to his own defence saying that such claims were unfair to him after what he had achieved with the club last term by guiding the Ibadan to the Premier League after just one season in charge as head coach.
He explained that it was apparent that he was misunderstood whenever he stood his ground in areas that concerned team matters especially, as he expected that he takes charge of selection and training methods as well as being responsible for results of the side.
“As a coach in Nigeria, you have to have a strong character to succeed. May be people are misinterpreting my disciplined nature for poor attitude with those I worked with at Shooting Stars. It is allowed, but I don’t think I had problems with anyone because if I did I wouldn’t have been able to lead the club back to the Premier League with the help of the general manager (Mutiu Adepoju). I think people are being unfair to me,” he said.
Howard also said he has accepted his fate and is ready to move on in his career and added that if the club decides to call him again to become head coach of the side he would accept the offer without batting an eyelid.
He explained his leaving the door to a return to the Ibadan club is due to the support he enjoyed from fans of the club.