Thiik Thiik clashes with SSFA official over remarks on Bright Stars loss

Juba City’s Deputy Mayor for Social Services, Thiik Thiik Mayardit, has come under heavy criticism over his recent remarks when South Sudan lost 4-0 to Senegal.

“One can easily say there is no reason to have a football team in South Sudan; 2 goals in less than 10 minutes is so frustrating,” Thiik stated on his Facebook page.

His comments came just minutes after Bright Stars conceded two goals in seven minutes against Senegal in a World Cup qualifier.

The statement stung the South Sudan Football Association (SSFA), prompting Albino Kuek, the SSFA’s spokesperson, to respond with a salvo.

“This same man who was bitter with the results of the game yesterday is the same man who was entrusted to modernise the environment of our capital city and absolutely did nothing for years.”

“Juba is a city of garbage and poor roads—things that should have been his (Thiik) responsibilities,” Kuek fired back at Thiik on his Facebook.

Senegal defeated South Sudan 4-0 in their 2023 first FIFA World Cup Qualifier match on Saturday, with Sadio Mane scoring twice.

For Kuek, the country’s national team could have done better if officials like Thiik, who are in charge of important institutions like the City Council, mobilised resources for establishing a good squad, even if failing to keep the city clean would have been fair.

Both officials blamed each other for the squalid conditions in their respective institutions.
The SSFA official advised Thiik Thiik to concentrate on cleaning up Juba City rather than blame the national team.

“Until now, the city has remained dirty, a thing he claimed to have been done for a long time.”
According to Kuek, everyone bears responsibility and that there is no need to point fingers.