Olisa Onuchukwu, a former Bochum FC, Germany forward, has declared that delayed January 2025 salary of Edel FC is not in anyway punishment to the players following the team's poor run in the second-tier domestic league, Nigeria National League, NNL, Exclusivenews.com.ng reports.

Onuchukwu, a former Enugu City FC President, spoke during the introduction of Hamza Abdulazeez Abara to the Edel FC as the club's new Head Coach following the departure of Ndubuisi Ndah  24 hours earlier.

There were speculation then that the delay in paying the players their January 2025 salary was aimed at punishing the players over the club's poor run in the campaign.

Edel FC sit at the base of the NNL Conference A table and they settled for a 1-1 draw at the weekend against Dakkada FC at the Awka City Stadium.

"I want to make it clear to you. The delay in paying your January salaries has nothing to do with the fact that the club is not doing well at the moment", Onuchukwu told the players.

"Nobody would want to punish you by withholding your salary, not even the Edel FC President.

"This is a team where you're salaries had always been paid as at when due. Nobody is owing you any match winning bonus. And of course, Edel FC did not get into this position on the table only in January. So, how can anyone delay your January salary as a means of punishing you as a result of the poor position of the team on the table?", Onuchukwu quarried rather rhetorically.

The lanky Onuchukwu reminded the players that the salary will be paid in a matter of days and that the delay was as a direct result of economic situation prevalent amongst privately owned clubs.

"All over the World, private club's operate on lean purse, unlike government club's that are funded with public funds.

"So you don't have any reason to compare the two. But in this case, this youngman isn't owing any match bonus. He isn't owing any salary if not this Januaey salary. So, I want you to bear in mind that your January salaryry delay isn't mean't to punish you. The salary will come, and in a matter of days", Onuchukqu sounded.