Gunemba sacked over OFC exit

LAE City franchise owner Ian Chow has sacked foundation coach Peter Gunemba following the Kumul Petroleum National Soccer League champions’ early Oceania Football Confederation Champions League exit.
Chow said former Morobe Wawens and national men’s team coach Bob Morris would take over from the five-time title-winning mentor and club founder from next week.
He said disciplinary inaction had affected City’s performances at the domestic and regional levels.
Chow said attitude and disciplinary issues within the team had forced him to take action for the long-term future of the club.
Chow is aware there are players loyal to Gunemba who may walk away from the club but he says no-one is stopping them from doing so.
Chow reaffirmed the services of Papua New Guinea international Felix Komolong and former Eastern Stars player Charles Lepani.
Under Gunemba, City were the second PNG team to enter the Champions League in 2016 after Hekari United and have been competing in the regional competition since then.
Gunemba told The National that Chow had expressed disappointment about City’s Champions League campaign in Vanuatu, where they only needed a draw in the final group-B match to progress to the quarterfinals, but were instead stunned a 0-3 hosts Malampa Revivors.
He said Chow was not pleased with the way the coaching staff had been managing the roster, especially Ecuadorian imports Dustine Iccaza and Abdias Aguire.
Chow’s decision has not gone down well with the bulk of City’s players as it is understood that they are planning a walkout if Gunemba is not reinstated.
“I’ve been with this team long before Lae Biscuit Company stepped in as sponsor when it was originally known as Lae City Dwellers,” Gunemba said.
“The sponsor has to respect the role of the coaching staff and let us do our job instead of dictating our job like naming the team. I received a threat from Chow after our 7-0 win over Lautoka. Chow said he’d sack me if I didn’t include the Ecuadorians in the team.
“That threat was a factor that killed the team spirit which saw us lose shockingly in the final match.”
Gunemba said it was the coach’s role to assess players when naming a team.
The team had a meeting yesterday and had given Chow an option to let Gunemba stay on as coach to complete the season or they would abandon the club.