The Nation Newspaper

Tag: BABAGANARU

  • My sack is not the end of life – Babaganaru

    My sack is not the end of life – Babaganaru

     

    The immediate past handler of Wikki Tourists F.C, Mohammed Babaganaru has declared that he has no regrets of his sack by the management of the club.

    He disclosed this in a telephone chat with Sportinglife,  stating that his plan was to fortify the team in the second stanza in some areas he observed by recruiting young players with fighting spirit.

    He said when he was engaged, he told the club management that they should not expect immediate results as it will take some time to build a formidable team. “You know my friend, some club managers want coaches to perform magic overnight without considering the fact that it takes time to build a good team. Look at MFM  FC, their coach narrowly escaped  relegation last season but the management did not sack him. Today, the club is the toast of the Nigerian league because of continuity.”

    He said:  “My sack did not come as a surprise. If coach Imama Amapakabo could be booted out by the management of Rangers after winning the league title for them , relieving me of my duty will not be a do or die affair.”

    The former Kano Pillars head coach said  the job of a coach is hiring and firing, sacking him would not be the end of his coaching career.

  • Babaganaru seals Wikki deal

    Babaganaru seals Wikki deal

    Nigeria premier league club, Wikki Tourists have appointed coach Mohammed Babaganaru as their new coach.

    The management of Wikki Tourists said that after an intensive screening it has employed the services of the former Kano Pillars handler, who led the Kano club to back-to-back league conquests three seasons ago.

    Babaganaru, who resigned immediately after Kano Pillars’ poor campaign this past season, signed for Wikki Tourists to replace Abdu Maikaba, who has also moved to Akwa United.

    The Bauchi club will campaign in next year’s CAF Confederation Cup after they finished third in the league this past season.

  • Babaganaru tipped to lead Wikki, Mansur

    Babaganaru tipped to lead Wikki, Mansur

    Former Kano Pillars coach, Mohammed Babaganaru is the favourite to land the top coaching post at Wikki Tourists with Warri Wolves’ Mansur Abdullahi tipped to assist him.

    Wikki Tourists will feature in next year’s CAF Confederation Cup after they finished third in the league.

    With the exit of Abdu Maikaba, they will therefore need the wealth of experience Babaganaru has garnered on the international scene with Kano Pillars.

    He was an assistant to the Slovenian Ivo Sajh when Pillars reached the semi-finals of the 2009 CAF Champions League and he  has taken full charge of the club’s international campaigns most recently.

    Mansur, on the other hand, led Warri Wolves in the NPFL this past season and as an indigene of Bauchi State he will stand a chance of most likely understudying the more experienced Babaganaru.

    Nigeria Flamingoes coach, Bala Nkiyu is also among the coaches short listed for the top coaching post at the Nigeria premier league club.

  • Wikki target Babaganaru as Maikaba’s replacement

    Wikki target Babaganaru as Maikaba’s replacement

    According to a leak gathered by SportingLife, the management of Wikki Tourits of Bauchi has identified former Kano Pillars gaffer, Mohammed Baba Ganaru as its main target for the technical adviser position.

    The Bauchi-based side sees Ganaru as the ideal  candidate to replace its former technical adviser, Abdul Maikaba who left the club last Friday.

    A source told SportingLife that Ganaru’s continental and Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) experience is being considered by the management as a yardstick to bring him into the team.

    SportingLife had exclusively reported on Sunday that Maikaba will sign a deal with Akwa United on Wednesday.

    “All options are on the table for the management to take. We have to move on from Maikaba’s exit and plan for the progress of the club. We can’t stop Maikaba when he said he is leaving the club. He kept us in the dark for a very long time before he finally came out to tell us his decision.

    “Coach Baba Ganaru has been shortlisted as a good replacement for Maikaba. He has been in the continental assignment before and he has won the premier league twice so we are looking towards his direction at the moment,” a source disclosed to SportingLife.

  • I force Babaganaru to resign-Baita

    I force Babaganaru to resign-Baita

    Sportinglife can report authoritatively that Kano Pillars coach Babaganaru Mohammed was forced to tender his resignation letter for failing to pick a continental ticket for the club, as agreed in the contract.

    According to the Chairman of the club Alhaji Kabiru Baita who spoke to SportingLife on telephone, he said the agreement reached before the commencement of the just concluded Nigeria Football Professional League (NFPL) was to win the League or place second and also take the club to the semi-final of Federation Cup.

    The chairman confirmed that few days to the end of just concluded league season,  the coach was told that his srevices would no longer be needed having failed to fulfil his own part of the contract.

    “We provided him all he needed  and we are not owing him a dime. We don’t want to sack him but he was told few days to the end of league that his services will no longer be needed. Personally I wish him well in his next assignment,” said Baita.

    Baita revealed that bulk of the  current players would be retained to ensure continuity as only few identified players would be added to fortify the team for better outing next season.

    “We have already identified two players from Ikorodu Utd and discussion is on to sign them ahead of next season. Also we have  shortlisted three coaches that will be invited to Kano for discussion,” revealed the chairman.

  • Babaganaru: Pillars want to finish the season with flourish

    Babaganaru: Pillars want to finish the season with flourish

    Kano Pillars head coach, Mohammed Babaganaru has told SportingLife that their emphasis is now to finish the league season as high as possible as they will confront Niger Tornadoes at the Sani Abacha Stadium on Sunday in the final tie of the NPFL season.

    Babaganaru and his wards were beaten 0-1 by Heartland in Owerri last Sunday and will battle the Minna side this weekend in a NPFL Match Day 38 tie. He told SportingLife that his players would be fired up to beat Tornadoes to get the three points at stake.

    The former Nasarawa United coach pointed out that the absence of five of his key players was among the reasons they lost in Owerri but that they would like to end the season well with a home win this weekend against Tornadoes.

    Pillars are seventh on the log with 51 points from 35 matches.

  • Babaganaru under pressure to return Pillars to winning ways

    Babaganaru under pressure to return Pillars to winning ways

    Kano Pillars’ media officer, Idris Malikawa though denied that SaiMasu Gida head coach, Mohammed Babaganaru was facing any sack threat but pointed out that the team’s coach knows that their recent results have not been impressive and must change ahead of their NPFL Match Day 23 tie with Wikki Tourists today.

    Malikawa told SportingLife that the club management and players are fully behind their head coach and that the former Nasarawa United helmsman has not lost the control of the dressing room as was speculated.

    The media officer however, revealed that coach Babaganaru and the Kano Pillars’ management were  not happy with the spate of the unimpressive results recorded recently, one  which reached his crescendo on Wednesday when the club was booted out of the 2016 Federation Cup in the Round of 32 against less fancied Prime FC of Oshogbo.

    He further stated that Pillars want a turnaround against Wikki today and that the management is not all that happy that despite giving the players and the coaches arguably the best welfare package in the country, the team is far from realising his dream of reclaiming the league title.

    Pillars are fourth on the league table with 33 points from 21 matches and are away in Bauchi to tackle neighbours Wikki Tourists in a Match Day 23 tie today.

  • Babaganaru faces sack by Kano Pillars

    Babaganaru faces sack by Kano Pillars

    Coach Mohammed Babaganaru, who led Kano Pillars to win the Nigeria league back-to-back, could soon be sacked going by a run of indifferent results and his lack of control of the players.

    Four-time Nigeria champions Pillars were sent packing from the Federation Cup on Wednesday by lower league side Prime FC and they are fourth on the league table after a 2-2 draw with Warri Wolves at the weekend.

    AfricanFootball.com has learnt disappointed Pillars top shots are now shopping for a replacement for Babaganaru.

    “The coach has no excuse for the club’s showing because he has received full support from the management to do his job,” a source informed AfricanFootball.com.

    “He has also got a free hand so much so that he personally recruited some players, who have since failed to live up to expectations.

    “But after above all, he has lost his control of the players since his return from Nasarawa United.”

  • Leaky defense is our headache – Babaganaru

    Leaky defense is our headache – Babaganaru

    Kano Pillars coach Mohammed Babaganaru has revealed that more work still needs to be done despite a bright start to life since making a return to the club.

    In a chat with www.footballlive.ng Babaganaru maintained that despite winning the NPFL WK 23 encounter 4-1 against Shooting stars, giving goals away still needs to be addressed after conceding in all the four matches played so far in the second stanza of the league.

    “We prepared for the game because we knew they were very well motivated but I can’t deny I wanted us to keep a clean sheet.

    “But we know this is an issue for now and we’ll make certain to mop up all the short falls,”he said.

  • Babaganaru confident of Pillars new signings

    Babaganaru confident of Pillars new signings

    • Says Sai Masu still
    in talks with Sani Kaita

    The head coach of Kano Pillars Mohammed Babaganaru has told SportingLife that he is confident that the newly signed five players will revive the fortune of the Sai Masu Gida.

    Pillars are sixth on the log with 34 points from 22 matches and have signed Bala Zakka(Enyimba), Ezekiel Bassey(Enyimba), Kabiru Umar(on a second stint to Pillars), Zarahadeen Bello and Emmanuel Olowo to improve the team’s lot on the league table.

    Babaganaru, who replaced sacked Okey Emordi told SportingLife that Pillars would continue to be competitive irrespective of their current position on the league table and that the new additions is meant to juggle things in favour of the reigning league champions.

    The former Nasarawa United coach, however, confirmed to SportingLife that Pillars are still discussing with one time player of the team, Sani Kaita and that he would be the last arrival to the club this season if the deal goes through.

    “We are trying our best to ensure that we revive Pillars. I am settled down now and I am pleased with the response of the players to the new training regimen.

    “We have added five players and with the possibility of one more.

    These players will improve our chances of a better second stanza,”

    Babaganaru told SportingLife.