EXCLUSIVE FROM CAF: Enugu Rangers Face Axe over Emmanuel Daniel, CAF Writes NFF

Emmanuel Daniel

Culled from OyoState SportsNews

Enugu Rangers clumsy transfer policy this season may have finally caught up with them following revelations that the Confederation of African Football CAF has written to the Nigeria Football Federation requesting Shooting Stars to confirm if truly they had released Emmanuel Daniel to the Enugu based side despite the expiration of his contract
with the Oluyole Warriors in accordance with the rules governing the players registration for the Competition, failure of which may signaled the end of Rangers in the competition.

According to information from the CAF secretariat in Cairo, the continent soccer ruling body had written to the NFF following protest received from CSS of Tunisia on the eligibility of Emmanuel Daniel who featured for Rangers during match no 90 of the CAF Confederation Cup in Tunis to confirm the status of the player. It was gathered that contrary to the rules and regulations of players transfer in NFF and CAF, the Nigeria Football Federation confirmed Emmanuel Daniel as a player’s of Rangers and even backed it up with documents.

The Nation soccer governing body however met a brick wall when CAF wrote another letter requesting for a letter or document showing that Shooting Stars has actually released Emmanuel Daniel as claimed by NFF. In a letter dated 22nd June 2013 addressed to the Secretary General of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amadu Musa and tagged Urgent and Important, CAF Secretary General, Mr. Hitcham El Amrani requested the NFF to furnish her with full clarification on Emmanuel Daniel status.

The letter reads in part, "Reference is made to our letter dated June 9th 2013, in reference to the above and following the documents received from NFF June 13th 2013 concerning the protest received from CSS of Tunisia about the qualification of the player Daniel Emmanuel of Rangers during match no 90: CSS vs Rangers in the frame of the 2nd 1/8th final of the Confederation Cup CC 2013

You are kindly requested to ask the Club Shooting Stars Club to provide CAF with a full clarification concerning the former status of Mr. Emmanuel Daniel with Shooting Stars and to confirm the exact length of the contract made with him(i.e. from the moment he joined them till he left them and moved to Enugu Rangers)"

CAF stated that while it received documents on the registration of Daniel as a Rangers player there was none that include the release of the player by Shooting Stars to Rangers in accordance with normal transfer policy. "The reason we are asking this important information is that, while the documents received from NFF were clearly understood, please note that in your documentation there was never any mention of an agreement reached between Enugu Rangers and Shooting Stars, and we did not receive also any correspondence s from Shooting Stars that indeed they released their player after expiration of the contract from January to December 31st 2012".

"Please respond to the request by June 25, 2013 at the latest in order to provide us with any further supporting documents. However, failure to provide the said documents will not prevent CAF from submitting the case of the said player to the competent committee for final decision." the letter concluded.

When contacted, Shooting Stars officials declined comment but confirmed that they actually receive a letter from CAF through the NFF. The club has however in recent time maintained that Emmanuel Daniel remains their player and he will still rejoin the Ibadan based club. The club confirmed that they have written twice in the past to both the League Management Committee LMC and the Nigeria Football Federation NFF on the illegal way Rangers acquire Emmanuel Daniel while also protesting the illegal way he was registered by the LMC.
With the latest development it is almost sure that Rangers will be thrown out of the CAF Confederation Cup if found guilty meaning all they would have wasted time and money prosecuting this competition.

The matter is not expected to end that way as several clubs whom Rangers have fielded Emmanuel Daniel against too may also protest his eligibility does meaning the Flying Antelopes will forfeit all the points.
Rangers had been locked in several transfer battles this season with the case of Chigoze Agbim and Sunday Mba involving the club and Warri Wolves, there had been other low profile transfer cases with clubs like Enyimba and Akwa United which were not in the news because of the low profile of players involve.

All efforts to reach the Nigeria Football Federation before going to press for their reaction proved abortive, CAF however in response to an E mail sent to the Secretary General, Hicham El Amrani confirmed receiving protest from CSS of Tunisia and the two letters subsequently written to the NFF on the subject matter. El Amrani confirmed that the matter will be dealt with in accordance with the CAF rules and regulation of the Competition referring to Article 25 and 26 guiding the conduct of the competition.

CAF decision will no doubt go a long way in resolving the transfer logjam especially with the NFF and LMC silent on the issue now.