Former Nigeria Under-20 defender Suraj Sodiq tops the list of twenty players released on Monday by relegated Nigeria Professional Football League side Shooting Stars.
The Oluyole Warriors dropped to the second tier of Nigerian league football at the end of the 2016/17 season after spending three years in the top flight.
According to a release by the club, former Prime FC defender Sodiq and club’s vice captain Promise Ebiaku have been told to look for other employers as the club prepare for life in the second division.
Other experienced stars such as former Sunshine Stars midfielder Moses James, former Sharks FC goalkeeper Charles Tambe and former Warri Wolves attacker Abu Azeez were all affected by the club’s restructuring.
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The development which saw twenty players retained by the club also affected club’s academy products Junior Merenini and Wasiu Jimoh who ends his second spell at the club.
Prominent among the retained twenty are club captain Seun Akinyemi, defender Alaba Osawe and goalkeepers Adamu Abubakar and Michael Uweru.
Enterprising youngsters Ayobami Junior and Sunday Faleye who both had fantastic debut seasons as well as experienced attackers Ajani Ibrahim and Bode Daniel were also retained by the Ibadan-based club.
Nothing was said about the team’s head coach Fatai Amoo who did not travel with the team for their AITEO Cup Round of 16 tie against Akwa United in Uyo. Amoo’s assistant and Shooting Stars legend Edith Agoye is expected to be part of the team’s technical crew whenever it is reconstituted.
List of retained players
Abubakar Adamu
Michael Uweru
Kayode Bankole
Seun Akinyemi
Alaba Osawe
Waheed Omololu
Opeyemi Adetoyi
Oginni Olatubosun
Ayobami Abiodun Jnr
Shile Ibrahim
Sunday Faleye
Jide Apena
Abayomi Adebayo
Rafiu Wasiu
Taiwo Shittu
Isiaq Rafiu
Ajani Ibrahim
Kunle Olukokun
Bode Daniel
Sherrif Sanda
