KOCHI, December 10: When IM Vijayan led KBL team-FC Kochin take the field 10 days from now at the Jawaharal Nehru International Stadium here to make their debut in the second National Football League, three Ghanians will replace Nigerians Friday Elaiho and Bernard Opranzie who left the club yesterday.

Abdul Karim, Mohammed Salissu (medios) and Ali Aboobaker (goalkeeper) are the imports from Nigeria. It is learnt that a defender from Senegal is also likely to join FC Kochin before the new season.

The Ghanians are playing in the Qatar first divison. Aboobaker was the goal keeper for the Ghana under-17 team that finished second to Brazil in the Coco Cola World Cup (u-17) football held at Cairo this year. The player from Senegal - El Hedge - will man the defence. Hedge plays for a first division club in Dakar, capital of Senegal.

All are expected to join the club by December 13 and absorbed after a two weeks mandatory trials.

The replacements come after the Nigerians resigned and two others were let off the hook with a stern warning. Friday was said to be fed up with Indian conditions and Bernard went through a lean patch.

However, there is more to it than meets the eye. Unsporting conduct on and off the field is believed to be the reason for their departure and for the warning against two others, including an Indian international.

The official version is that the Nigerians have resigned on their own. FC Kochin president P V Paul, said: "They wanted to resign. And their resignations were accepted."

Paul revealed that the Nigerians left the club as friends. "We cannot afford to lose our name which we built in eight months and we've a long way to go. We acknowledge their contributions and parted as friends."

The two Nigerians were issued with a showcause notice asking why action should not be taken against them for their unsporting conduct during the recently concluded IFA Shield tournament in Calcutta. Another player, an Indian international, was given a warning for speaking to the mediapersons about matters which had nothing to do with football but with the club.

Friday and Bernard were issued warnings because they indulged in negative play during an inconsequential match against East Bengal.

They were sent into the field with specific instructions that none should indulge in tackles and earn any cards. Friday asked his teammates to boycott the match in protest against the referee's decision to send off Bernard. C M Sreedharan, FC Kochin coach, had to compel Friday to continue playing.

The incident had shaken the FC Kochin officials. For a professional club, (with the second oldest tournament in the world -- Durand Cup -- under their belt and appearing in the finals of the all tournaments except the DCM Trophy in New Delhi) this was too much to digest. Hence the action, that too before the commencement of the prestigious NFL.

The club would have been banned had the rest of the players followed Friday. But better sense prevailed and players, including Friday, continued with play. FC Kochin lost the IFA Shield to East Bengal.

Immediately after their arrival home Paul issued a showcause notice to Friday, Bernard and two others.

According to sources, Friday said he was fed up with the Indian conditions while Bernard was said to have cited his poor form for his decision. Bernard also cited favouritism shown to some players in his reply. The rest of the players were apologetic in their explanation and were let off with a stern warning.

Friday left India on Saturday while Bernard left yesterday for Calcutta where his wife stays.

"Right now we're busy with our preparations for the league. We're not bothered about players leaving us," remarked Sreedharan, who was busy with his team's preparations for their first NFL match on December 21 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.