Ahead of the next new football season, the management of Kano Pillars Football Club last Monday unveiled Coach Abdu Maikaba as the new manager of the club.
The ceremony was made possible after Maikaba put a pen on paper in readiness to serve as the head of the technical crew of the Nigeria Premier Football League returnee after their impressive outings in the NNL group stage matches and the Super Eight matches recently in Asaba, Delta state.
The ceremony which was decided at the Kano Deputy Governor’s office was performed by the deputy governor, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam on behalf of the executive governor, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf was performed before the management, some supporters and some well-wishers of the club.
Even though the terms of the contract were not made public, he was said to have signed a one year contract with the Sai Masu gida for the 2023/2024 season.
He will be assisted by Abubakar Abubakar aka Senior as Chief Coach, Ahmad Garba Yaro Yaro as Coach, Gambo Muhammad Assistant Coach and Auwalu Abbas as Goalkeeper trainer.
There is no doubt that we all know that Coach Audu Maikaba is a good and promising trainer with a good coaching career and great achievements.
He started his career as a coach with Desert warriors FC of Kano in1994 where he won Tsoho Abdullahi Cup Zaria and took the team to Kano state league division one in 1996.
Maikaba also served as the Head Coach of Dantata United FC in 1997. During his stay in the United, he won the chairman cup in 1997 and also took the team to the national professional league division II.
His sterling records at Dantata United made the management of the then Kano Pillars appoint him as the Head coach Kano Pillars FC feeder team in 1997.
His impressive performances at the feeder team made the management of Kano Pillars upgrade him by moving him to the senior team as an Assistant Coach in 1998.
Coach Abdullahi Maikaba was finally asked to take over the Kano Pillars FC as its Head coach in 1999 where he took the team to the Quarter finals of the National FA cup in 1999.
When he moved out of Kano state, coach Maikaba served as an Assistant coach of FC Abuja in 2006. And when they confirmed him as the club’s chief coach, Maikaba won FCT F A cup in 2007 gain promotion to Nigeria premier league in 2008.
As a Chief Coach of Enyimba FC international of Aba, Coach Maikaba won Nigeria premier league in 2009, runners up in the National Federation Cup in 2009, won Nigeria Super cup in 2009, won Nigeria Charity cup the same year, Semifinalist of the CAF champions league in 2010 and finished 4th position in the Nigeria Premier League in 2010.
When he was appointed the Technical Adviser of the Wikki Tourist FC of Bauchi in 2014, the Kano born coach helped them to qualify to the CAF Confederation Cup in 2006 and was 4th position in the Nigeria professional football league in 2014/2015 season, Quarter finalist at the National FA cup 2014/15 and 3rd position in the Nigeria professional football league 2015/16 season.
During his two years stay as the Technical Adviser of Akwa United FC, his team was 4th Nigeria professional football league, emerged Champions at the maiden edition of Aiteo cup in 2016/17, 2nd at the Nigeria professional football league. 2017/18 and Quarter finalist at the Aiteo cup 2017/18.
His feat in all the teams he worked with made the NFF to appoint him as the Nigeria U17 Football team Manager between November 2017 and February 2018.
By the time he left U17, Maikaba was incharge of Plateau United FC of Jos for the period of three years from October 2018 to September 2021. He was comfortably leading the table before coronavirus stopped the league at week 27 2019/20.
Coach Maikaba was at Coal City as the manager of Enugu Rangers FC and emerged the runners up of the National Federation Cup 2022/23.
More so, coach Maikaba has won many awards and laurels. He won the Kano SWAN coach of the year award in 2002 and 2004. He also won FCT Abuja SWAN coach of the year 2008 and also won Akwa Ibom SWAN coach of the year twice in 2017 and 2018.
From the above narrations, one will conclude that coach Maikaba is equal to the task and has the capacity to perform and even bring good results
I am happy the deputy governor who represented the governor at the unveiling ceremony urged the new manager to use his vast experience in football coaching at the various football clubs across the country and make Kano Pillars great.
I am also happy that the government, after commending the management, officials and players of the club for their hard work which led the club return to the Premier league then promised to continue to support the team morally and financially in order to meet its set objectives.
I am glad too that the government has unfolded that it is fully aware about the deplorable state of the Sani Abacha Stadium and its readiness to swing into action in renovating the stadium.
From the governor’s pronouncement, one can be certain that Kano Pillars Football Club will be adequately funded by the government this season.
With this development, there is a need for the management of Kano Pillars to support the new coach by providing an enabling environment for him to work freely without hitches and too much interference.
The coach must be allowed to x-ray the team thoroughly and select the players that will make his team. He must also be allowed to bring new players if necessary that will fit into his team and play well for good results.
The management must listen to him and also be allowed to bring whoever he wants to assist him. He must be provided with a brand new vehicle for his movements.
They must also form a high power technical committee that will be working hand-in-hand or side-by-side with the coach.
In forming a technical committee, the management must look outward and include people who are vast, well experienced and knowledgeable of the game of soccer from outside their committee.
The committee should not depend only on its members but coopt people who can assist them to do the job.
The management committee must allow the Technical Committee to work too. They will be responsible for checking the players’ line-up before any match and also be at the training ground for advice to the coach on matters of utmost importance.
This will help in checking any fault play or any problem either between player-to-player, player-to-players and player-to-coach or any technical crew member as the case may be.
This, besides helping the management will also give them an insight of what is going on in or within the team.
The management needs to be serious with the welfare of the players for better results. They need to be camping their players especially before matches.
The players’ club house must be fully renovated and provided with social amenities that will discourage the players from roaming about.
The management also needs to look at the possibilities of reviewing players’ allowances and match bonuses, etc. It will serve as a booster for the entire players and the technical crew.
Ina muku fatan alheri.