Lay off my son’s solidarity fee, Wanyama warns
PHOTO | EMMA NZIOKA Victor Wanyama's father Noah Wanyama speaks during an interview on October 2, 2013. The senior Wanyama slammed some clubs for claiming a stake in Victor's Solidarity Fee.
What you need to know:
- Twist in the transfer saga as family now demands payment from JMJ Football Academy
Father of Southampton’s Victor Wanyama says only three clubs entitled to Sh80million pay out - JMJ apparently played a role in aiding Victor to join Belgian club Germinal Beerschot in 2007 but Wanyama says that was just mere facilitation and they were not acting as agents or managers of the Harambee Stars captain.
As Kenyan clubs haggle for the Sh80 million Solidarity Fees to be paid out by English side Southampton following their signing of Kenyan midfielder Victor Wanyama, his father Noah Wanyama has entered into the fray demanding that all the teams laying claim to the cash to prove the player played for them.
Noah stated that he is only aware of three clubs that should benefit from the fees and hit out at JMJ Academy for "misleading the public that Mugubi was their player."
In a battle that look set to go straight to the doors of world soccer governing body Fifa, the Wanyama family is at the same time demanding for Sh2 million that was meant to be paid to Victor when he signed for Belgian club Germinal Beerschot but was “wrongfully” given to JMJ Academy, a local football academy.
“From all that I know, my son played for Country Bus FC from the time he was eight years in 1998 until 2006 when he joined World Hope (now Nairobi City Stars).
“The only other local club my son has played for is AFC Leopards for a period of six months,” the senior Wanyama said when he visited Nation Sports Desk Wednesday.
“True, there was a three week period that he trained with JMJ Academy, but he never signed a contract and so I am wondering why the academy is now demanding to be included in the payment for the Solidarity fees,” he added.
MERE FACILITATION
JMJ apparently played a role in aiding Victor to join Belgian club Germinal Beerschot in 2007 but Wanyama says that was just mere facilitation and they were not acting as agents or managers of the Harambee Stars captain.
“In the process, Jean Marie Abeels (director of JMJ) took Victor’s birth certificate and is yet to return it to us to date.”
“Germinal Beerschot was to pay Victor Sh3 million sign on fees. We received Sh1 million on the day he signed and the balance was to be paid after two years.
“We were later to learn that the balance was actually handed to JMJ who are yet to pass it on to us,” Wanyama, a former AFC Leopards winger said. “Anybody laying claim that Victor played for them, must prove so by producing documents,” he added.
Wanyama has written to Fifa to take up the matter.
