Spending Days Are Here At Lobi Stars?

Last season, Globacom Premier League side, Lobi Stars, was one of the clubs that struggled to find its feet throughout the 2009/2010 campaign and ended up battling relegation. But ahead of the coming season, the Makurdi club, which has now been leased out for five years and with 80 per cent of the club in the hands of private ownership, the Premier League club has continued to splash the cash in bringing big names to the club in the close-season.
It is understood that the consortium led by businessman, Richard Edewor, that has taken charge at the club is ready to spend money in bringing in players that would engineer the push for Lobi Stars to compete for the Premier League trophy next season.
An official at the club disclosed to our correspondent that the move to build a strong squad for the coming season started with the recruitment of Bulgarian coach, Mitko Dobrev. Our source also hinted that there would be more quality signing before the season begins on September 19.
At the same time, Dobrev could bring along with him those he would want to work with as backroom staff.
Last week, Lobi Stars’ vice chairman, Dominic Iorfa, also confirmed to our correspondent that the Premier League outfit had completed the signing of former Super Eagles’ workaholic defender, Garba Lawal.
“Yes, I can tell you that he (Lawal) has joined us for the coming season in the capacity of a player-coach,” Iorfa disclosed in a telephone interview last week.
Already the club is said to have raided relegated side Nasarawa United in search of players especially in the wake of the major owner ready to hand the management and coaching crew millions of naira to recruit players.
Another club that has fallen victim to the new spending force in the Globacom Premier League is Sunshine Stars of Akure.
Three players of the club that have agreed verbally to move from Akure to Makurdi are Seun Falodun, John Agbawu and Olumide Ojedeji.
After undergoing trials at Lobi Stars with the coaches of the Makurdi club watching, talks would be open with Sunshine Stars to release the clearance papers for the trio to move to the Middle Belt region.
“It is like a turn around for Lobi Stars because the management though has not said that it is ready to spend millions in bringing players to the club, but indications are pointing to that fact that there will be more quality players coming to the club before next season and in the seasons to come,” our correspondent was informed.
But the spokesman for Lobi Stars, Bestman Joji, when contacted on the development sounded more excited instead of tackling the question posed at him.
He, however, ended up craving the indulgence of our correspondent that he would send every detail via e-mail as it concerns the lease of Lobi Stars for five years and the plan to transform the club to one of the best in the country in the coming seasons.