Gombe United coach, Aliyu Zubairu quits over unpaid bonuses

Aliyu Zubairu, the Technical Adviser of Gombe United Football Club, has officially announced his departure from the club. In a candid interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Gombe, Zubairu revealed the reasons behind his decision not to renew his contract with the team.

The versatile coach cited the poor condition of service as the primary factor influencing his departure. Despite his dedication to the club, Zubairu expressed disappointment with the lack of motivation and support from the Gombe State Government, which ultimately influenced his choice to part ways.

“It’s with a heavy heart that I didn’t renew my contract, which had expired. I was supposed to, but I did not. I want to quit now. I am leaving; that’s the reason I didn’t renew my contract with the club,” Zubairu candidly explained.

One of the major grievances Zubairu voiced was the state government’s failure to pay match bonuses consistently. The lack of financial support and unfulfilled agreements made it challenging for the coach to maintain the team’s morale and focus on achieving optimal performance.

“For four seasons now, we were only paid four match bonuses, and agents continue to withdraw their players week-in week-out because the management had failed to fulfill agreements. I have lost count of the number of unpaid match bonuses. It is almost 50 match bonuses, and out of that, the state government only paid four matches. This is a distraction. I have to do the work of a coach, psychologist, and everything,” Zubairu lamented.