Just like Gor Mahia, Sofapaka were once banned by football’s world governing body from signing players until they cleared their dues with Ghanian striker Jedinak Nana Ameyaw.Sofapaka owed the player Sh.1.5million accrued after they sacked him in 2020 with a year still remaining on his contract.The player sued and was awarded Sh.1.5million which Sofapaka were unable to pay on time leading to the ban on transfer. Sofapaka however cleared the debt and are now free to sign players.💪The boss getting the lads through in training.@OyandoRonny#BatotoBaMungu pic.twitter.com/hHdz3cXo0Z— Sofapaka FC (@FC_Sofapaka) March 25, 2023 Speaking on the debacle, Sofapaka chairman Elly Kalekwa says they have learnt from it and will never find themselves in a similar situation again.“From last year, we have structured our contracts in such a way that we won’t have to find ourselves in a similar situation again. The player is still protected but more importantly the club is protected from having to pay such huge amounts of money when we don’t even get to use the players,” he said.##NAJAVA_MECA_7125723##Kalekwa said some of the foreign players do not add value to a club and seem to have just come to take from local teams without giving anything in return.“We must end this practice and culture so that local clubs are protected.”The Sofapaka boss also revealed that it has become very difficult to run the club without a shirt sponsor even as he appealed to companies to come on board and support them.Masud Juma passes late fitness test as Firat names final Harambee Stars squad to face Iran“Football is very expensive and for the first time in our history we are going almost one season without a shirt sponsor. We appeal to any company out there to come and support us. This is a big club that will add a lot of value to any of our partners,” he pleaded.Sofapaka recently lost a betting sponsor who had been with them for more than three years and efforts to get another partner has proved almost futile.South Sudan’s Kuol joins Mathare after ten month absence from competitive football
