An owner forced out of the stadium by his team’s own supporters, players’ wages being paid with money that was meant for a Chelsea loanee and ALL of their office staff calling in sick on the same day: The incredible crisis at Dutch club Roda JC
- Striker Ike Ugbo is currently on loan at Dutch club Roda JC from Chelsea
- His £38,000-a-month wages are reportedly 10 times bigger than team-mates
- Ugbo ‘wasn’t paid his wages this month and they were shared among squad’
- It comes as Roda fans protest against hated investor Mauricio Garcia de la Vega
- Mexican was manhandled out of the stadium by angry fans during last match
Chelsea loanee Ike Ugbo ‘was not paid his £38,000-a-month wages by Dutch club Roda JC’ amid fan protests against their hated Mexican investor.
Forward Ugbo, 21, has scored four goals in seven matches in the Dutch second tier in an excellent personal start to his time with the club.
But Roda themselves have only won one of their opening eight matches, leading to calls for Mauricio Garcia de la Vega to be kicked out.
Chelsea loanee Ike Ugbo (right) has not been paid by Dutch club Roda JC after his £38,000-a-month wages were distributed to the rest of the squad
It comes after Roda fans revolted against Mexican investor Mauricio Garcia de la Vega, manhandling him out of their stadium after Friday’s match against De Graafschap
Fans held up banners in protest against Garcia de la Vega during Friday night’s match
According to Dutch outlet NRC, Ugbo’s wages – which are reportedly about 10 times those of his team-mates – were spread across the rest of the squad.
The coaches at the Kerkrade-based club, who played in the Eredivisie until relegation last season, reportedly decided it was better to have one angry big earner than a team of players disgruntled at Ugbo.
But the real issue is with investor Garcia de la Vega, who purchased the shares of the local Limburg businessman Frits Schrouff in the summer.
The Mexican was warned by police and local mayor Petra Dassen-Housen not to attend last Friday’s league fixture against De Graafschap because of fears over his safety.
However, he went to the game anyway and was confronted with banners reading ‘F*** Off Mauricio’, ‘Faker’, ‘Liar’ and ‘Thief’.
A group of fans greeted Garcia de la Vega in his executive box and manhandled him out
Chelsea academy graduate Ugbo, 21, is at Roda on what is his fourth loan away from the club
A group of supporters duly confronted the former banker in his executive box and manhandled him out of the stadium. No security guards intervened to protect him.
NRC report that his takeover did little to ease a budget deficit of €1million (£885,000) and next month’s staff salaries are in danger of not being paid. And on Monday the club’s entire staff called in sick in protest about their situation.
‘After proper consultation, it was therefore decided this morning to take a rest and to lay down the work until further notice,’ the employees of the club said in a joint statement.
Though Garcia de la Vega promised to invest in the club to pay off these debts, he has so far not contributed anything.
It was a similar story during his failed takeover of the Spanish club Real Murcia and now he is reportedly demanding £221,000 to leave the club.
Ugbo speaks to Chelsea manager Frank Lampard during a pre-season fixture at Bohemians
The Dutch Football Association, the KNVB, are looking into the situation at Roda.
Ugbo, who hails from Lewisham in London, joined Chelsea at under-10 level before working his way through the youth ranks.
The striker is currently in his fourth loan spell having previously gained experience with English league sides Barnsley, MK Dons and Scunthorpe United.
He is a former England under-17 and under-20 international.
