'The Working One' Speaks On His Future Ambition, Where He wants To Coach In 2027

One of Nigeria most flamboyant coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu loves to coach in Europe in the next seven years. He made this known when he was a guest in Let's Gist Naija , LGN, WhatsApp group. 

'I am a very ambitious coach and I will love to coach in Europe' stated Nwachukwu this when he was responding to question on his future ambition and where he will love to be in the next seven years with coaching career. 

The self-acclaimed 'working one ' speaks further on the perceived superiority of coaches between the Europeans and African counterparts. 

"The Europeans are not better than us the only challenge is ourselves, we don't value ourselves instead we value the whites more." The former MFM football club coach emphasised. 

The coach whose football philosophy is possession football is presently working in one of Nigeria biggest club, Heartland FC of Owerri after he left MFM FC at the end of last season, a team he coached for over a decade.

'My Super Eagles Time Will Come' The Only Super Eagles Star That Won Champions League Season Blast

He was the Nigeria Professional Football League highest goal scorer in 2018, he scored 19 goals in just 21 match days just two goals away from breaking Mfon Udoh's all-time highest goal scored in a season of 38 games but unfortunately, the league was called off after 21 games for the Russia 2018 World cup. 

His name is Junior Sewanu Lokosa, he is one of the most prolific strikers the league has ever seen with a total of 35 games scoring 24 goals. 

He shone like a star in the only game he played for the Super Eagles, the occasion was one of the World cup preparatory games against Congo DR, he gave a man of the match display and everyone was calling for his inclusion in the final squad to the World cup. 

 He was dropped by the coach but ever since he is still waiting for his second Super Eagles appearance despite showing a lot of promises.

"It's the coach decision, and I don't really feel bad about it. There are better days ahead my time will surely come". The former Kano pillars football club striker told Journalists during a Chat in Sports Lounge, (Whatsapp group) on Thursday. 

The 27-year-old speaks further on how injuries have slowed his progress since he moved to Esperance of Tunis ' I was competing with their national striker and it's not very easy to play in every game but unfortunately, I got injured with two games to the end of the season but I will back pretty soon and you will see me in full flight". Lokosa said. 

Junior Lokosa won the CAF Champions League with Esperance of Tunisia last year as well as the Tunisia Ligue 1. 

Coach Highlights The Major Challenges Of Working With Nigeria Professional League Players

Coach Usman Abdullah has highlighted the major challenges of working as a coach in the Nigeria Premier League, NPFL.  

The coach who holds UEFA A coaching license picks the level of coaching players receive at the grassroots before becoming an NPFL player as one of the challenges of coaches at the elite division. 

Coach Usman who won the Nigeria Premier League in 2019 with Enyimba Football Club last, who now works as the head coach of Wikki Tourists of Bauchi said the major problem is the players lack basics of the game from the grassroots. 

He said as a nation we need to improve on the level of coaching players received from the grassroots as it makes coaching job in the NPFL very difficult. 

" There are some things you really want to do in camp with players in your team but it becomes impossible as you make do with the quality of the players you have in your team" The Former Stationary Stars of Lagos player laments. 

He made this assertion on Thursday afternoon when speaking with Writers Lounge on the Challenges of being a coach in the NPFL.  

The Well-travelled coach stated further that it is a systemic problem that is affecting tactical play in the league and needs to be addressed  

"I think the problem has to do with the whole system of our football because we pay more attention to the grassroots as most of the players missed a lot that they ought to have been taught from the grassroots, we need to work more on the grassroots so that we can get the desired output when the players to play in the NPFL". Usman said. 

The coach who started his coaching in Europe highlight other challenges confronting coaches in the League 

"There are other challenges coaches faced in the league if I start to mention them it may take the whole day, is the organisational problem or finances, there are a lot but one just has to work it out and get the best out of it". The coach concludes. 

Coach Usman Abdullah took over from Paul Aigbogun to lead Enyimba to their seventh NPFL title when the team won the Super 6 in Lagos after the Abridged League of 2019. 

He led Enyimba to the CAF confederations semi-finals losing to Raja Casablanca of Morocco. 

He was relieved of his job and join Wikki Tourists in the middle of the 2020 Season which is currently suspended to curtail the spread of Coronavirus. 

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2019 HIFL Season ends as UAM Tillers set to defend title in Agege today

2018 defending champions, UAM Tillers, and runners up, UNICAL MALABITES are set to face off in the HiFL 2019 finals, after they both cruised past, OAU Giants and UNILORIN Warriors respectively, to book their place yet again in the highly anticipated finals of the 2019 Super Four, scheduled for today at the Agege township stadium in Lagos. 

Meanwhile, UNILORIN Warriors will play OAU Giants in the third place to complete the 2019 Higher Institutions Football League Super Four.

Activities making the end of the 2019 season begin with the Super 4 press conference held in Lagos yesterday

Director, PACE Sports and Entertainment Marketing, Sola Fijabi, said that all is in place for a successful hosting of the super four, in Lagos, “we are witnessing a reenactment of last year’s final and third-place matches and it is interesting, we are glad about the progress made and the expansion achieved through the season. 

The league has gained wider acceptance among higher institutions across the country and has been noted as a game-changer in higher institution sports in Nigeria, our expansion of participating teams to 32 and our all-impactful Coaching Clinic in Lagos were few of the highlights of the 2019 season for us” Fijabi said

 “We have reviewed the rules of the game in line with our experiences from last year and global trends in football and collegiate sports. We did this in conjunction with our partner, the Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) and other technical partners. 

Our desire is to create a league that would be of pride to us as a company, the Nigerian universities and indeed our esteemed sponsors” we have set everything in motion for an awesome finale and we are set to usher in an even better 2020 league season” Fijabi Added.

In his remark, the President of the Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA), Prof. Stephen Hamafyelto expressed that the 2019 edition of the higher institutions football league has been nothing but a grand success “At NUGA, we are committed to ensuring the sustainability of the league, the 2019 edition has been a grand success, we are pleased with the execution and we are committed to ensuring that our students and indeed sports-loving Nigerians continue to enjoy thrilling experiences across the match centers, this excitement will hope to make grander at the finals”

For the 2019 Higher Institutions Football League Season, the top 32 Universities from NUGA-member institutions played over a period of 21 weeks, with the final four billed for the Agege Stadium, Lagos, on the 26th of October 2019 with third place final kicking proceedings by 12 noon and the final match will follow by 3pm with small doctor On the band stand .

Meanwhile , As part of activities making the End of the season, the HIFL media partners defeated the organiser/sponsor's team in a novelty by three goals to one . The novelty set up the for what to expect in today's. It was full of excitement artistry display of skills and showmanship.

The curtain will drop on the 2019 season with the Awards night for those that have distinguished themselves all through the season.

The league is organised by PACE Sports and Entertainment Marketing in partnership with the Nigerian Universities Games Association (NUGA). The league is sponsored by Stanbic IBTC, Indomie Nigeria and Premier Cool.

Toroza Terungwa penalty heroics sends Defending Champion UAM Tillers to the Final as Odey shootdown the Warriors from ilorin

2018 defending champions, UAM Tillers, and runners up, UNICAL MALABITES are set to face off in the HiFL 2019 finals, after they both cruised past, OAU Giants and UNILORIN warriors respectively, to book their place yet again in the highly anticipated finals of the 2019 Super Four. 

Toraza Terungwa, was the hero for the resurgent Tillers as he saved three straight penalties, to give his side a 3:0 shoot-out win in front of a roaring home crowd. OAU tillers were the first to score in the 46th minute as tough defender Faleti Ayo brilliantly headed home a cross, to put the Tillers under pressure. However, Tony Eliagwu rescued the home team with a 57th minute leveler, to send them through to level the scores on the day and also on aggregates.

Then it was onto penalties as both teams could not be seperated. It is the second time, the Tillers will qualify ahead of OAU Giants, after the Giants suffered similar fate in the 2018 semifinal stage. 

Elsewhere in Rumuolumeni, Rivers State, UNICAL Malabite’s Odey Santos scored twice in the 45th and 90th minute to send the Malabite’s into the finals after a 2:0 defeat against Unilorin Warriors in their Super Four decider.

UNILORIN Warriors will now play OAU Giants in the third place match while the Tillers and Malabites will lock horns in the finals to complete the 2019 Higher Institutions Football League Super Four. 

The games are scheduled for the 26th of October at the Agege township stadium in Lagos. 

The league is organised by PACE Sports and Entertainment Marketing in partnership with the Nigerian Universities Games Association (NUGA).

The league is sponsored by Stanbic IBTC, Indomie Nigeria and Premier Cool. The top 32 Universities from NUGA-member institutions will play over a period of 21 weeks, with the final four billed for the Agege Stadium, Lagos.

Nigeria Amputee team calls for Buhari’s intervention

The Nigeria Amputee football team, Special Eagles, currently in Angola for the Africa Amputee Football Cup of Nations, have called for the urgent fatherly intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari towards alleviating their poor condition into the tournament.

The Special Eagles landed, Benguela, venue of the competition, on Wednesday night to return to the competition after nine years of absence due to lack of funds. 

With only solidarity support from the Nigeria Football Federation which was not sufficient to foot their bill, the 15-man team of 10 players, 2 coaches, one back room staff and two officials travelled on the strength of flight tickets provided on credit by their travel agent.

Speaking on arrival in Angola, President of the federation, Alhaji Suleiman Isah, said while they are still expecting the ministry of sports to approve some support for them even while grappling with contending demands from other sports, it has become necessary to appeal for the intervention of the President of the country on the plight of the national amputee football team.

“It is tough for us but we needed to make this trip to keep hope alive for the amputees who have decided to counter their physical disability by engaging respectably in sports. They have been absent from the Africa Nations Cup for nine years because there was no funding support. It will devastate the boys badly if they missed this edition again.

“Unfortunately, the only support we got was from the NFF and it is not enough to cover the cost of flight tickets even as we dropped some players. We got tickets on credit just as we also procured jerseys, tracksuits, boots and other equipments on credit. Worse is that we don’t even have a dime to give to the players as allowances both at the competition and on return.

“We are hoping that the sports ministry will approve some aid for us but we are not certain. Under the circumstance, we wish to respectfully appeal to our deer President to intervene to bail us out even if only to provide for the flight ticket. His fatherly gesture will be a big boost for amputee sports and will also give hope and sense of belonging to our physically challenged persons who are seeking social inclusion through sports, instead of constituting burden to their families or nuisance to the public by begging. It is especially so as amputee football has developed into a professional sports with a number of Nigerians engaged in professional clubs overseas. We need to support the development of this platform in Nigeria to provide opportunities to more amputees. To deny them on this would mean neglect and rejection of this category of our fellow citizens.”

The Nigeria amputee football team will open their Nations Cup campaign against Liberia on Friday, October 4. Their subsequent fixtures are against Cameroon, Tanzania, Sierra Leone and host Angola on October 8.

With experience from the Mexico 2018 World Cup, the Special Eagles are rated as the strongest team in Africa to challenge for the trophy against Angola who are current world champions.