Back home side, Daure pleads to Morobeans

 By GABRIEL LAHOC

GIGIRA Laitepo Morobe United assistant team manager Michael Daure is challenging Morobe leaders and businessmen to back soccer in the province.

Daure, from Butibam, in Lae, last Saturday lamented that despite soccer being acclaimed as a provincial sport there was poor support from the Morobean elites and businessmen compared to the Highlands region where there was overwhelming support for rugby league.

He made the comment after committing to buy two new pairs of soccer boots for Gigira Laitepo Morobe United’s opening goal scorer and man-of-the-match in their Telikom National Soccer League 2-0 win over NC Civil Works Oro.

He said while soccer was a sport favoured in the coastal regions in the country, it was sad to note that the elites and businessmen from the highlands region had taken the lead and had dominated sponsorship of franchises in the semi-professional NSL competition.

Daure said many young Morobeans in rural communities would be given a new lease of life with sponsorship from local businessmen, elites and politicians.

Simon Emmanuel, as the first goal scorer for Morobe, and Manasseh Adi as their best performer in that victory were congratulated and asked to submit their foot sizes to Daure, who will buy boots for them.

Daure had given K50 and K100 incentive for the first goal scorer and the man-of-the-match. He promised players he would improve such incentives to motivate players.