Nigerian goalkeeper

I refer to the report (September 7) headed 'Nightmare ends for Nigerian goalkeeper'. The write-up may have created a wrong impression as to how Mosta FC acted from the human angle with respect to Chuka Engenge.

The facts from Mosta FC side are as follows. Months before the end of last season, when it became evident that my club was cruising towards playing top flight football the following season, I was approached by a certain Henry Ekezie who offered his help to bring to our club three Nigerian players, whom he indicated as ideal for the strenghtening of our team for the following season.

He pointed out in particular to a goalkeeper, who he said would definitely be the best goalkeeper ever in Malta.

Since at that point we were not being asked any obligations other than accommodating the players during their stay, we opted to give these players a trial. It was our intention to have these players over at least five weeks before the end of the season.

However, it turned out that there was a delay and it appeared that their arrival would be delayed till the end of the season, a period when it would be difficult to find opposing teams to try out the foreigners.

However, Mr Ekezie insisted on bringing them over as he felt sure that it would not take us long to realise that at least the goalkeeper was the right man for us.

In the meantime, Mr Ekezie asked us to pay for one flight ticket and gave us his word that if none of the players stayed this money would be refunded. None of the players stayed and until now Mr Ekezie has not kept his word.

The three players arrived 10 days before the official end of our season and were accommodated at the club's expense in a four star hotel in St Paul's Bay. We also made arrangements with a restaurant in the area for them to have lunch and dinner each day.

Upon arrival they were given pocket money for their stay, were allowed to call their relatives in Nigeria, given training kits and shoes. We provided daily transport from the hotel to our training grounds and back. Being the end of the season our club extended the team's training by two weeks to give a full month trial to these Nigerians.

During the first friendly at Ta' Qali training grounds the goalkeeper performed very badly. However, we made it a point to give him other chances and our club organised a friendly against the Under-19s of Gozo. The purpose of the game was entirely to watch these foreigners.

Incredibly enough, Mr Engenge refused to play as he said, and I quote, "the opposition is not my level". It was becoming clear that this was not the person to invest in, both from the technical view and characterwise. Shortly afterwards, he was picked up in the middle of the night quite drunk. We also came to know that this was his second vist to Malta and he was on the first occasion asked to leave Malta by the local authorities for misbehaviour.

Had we been told by Mr Ekezie we would never have agreed to his coming over. After all this, we had no option but to inform the police of our club's intention not to extend his visa. In spite of all this and after the visa period expired we put him in an apartment until the police rightly took the matter into their hands.

During Mr Engenge's stay, Mosta FC paid out just under Lm2,000 in flight ticket, accommodation, food and other expenses. My club went a long way in treating the Nigerian with full dignity, and exceeded its obligations towards an otherwise not so ideal goalkeeper as we were led to believe. Chuka Engenge may be in Nigeria by the time this letter is published and one may argue that he has no chance of giving his views on my statement. However his contact, Mr Ekezie, is a Malta resident and can challenge my version if he so deems.