Belgian trainer Maurice Cooreman has signed to manage Nigeria National League (NNL) side Ikorodu United.
The 73-year-old will make a return to the dugout as head coach of the Oga Boys after agreeing a two-year deal before Christmas Day that will keep him with the Lagos club till 2018.
Cooreman, delighted to return to Ikorodu United, has already fired a warning shot to players and backroom staff of the club stating that “there is no room for laziness.”
The Belgian, who left Akwa United in unceremonious fashion after a dismal season, recognises that rejoining Ikorodu United leaves him with a Herculean task to guide them back to the top division considering the departure of key players following their relegation last term.
“I am delighted to be at the place I am well-loved. My task is to take the club back to the NPFL where they belong. There is no room for laziness, as I am here to do my job.
“We have to work hard to replace departed players with credible players,” Cooreman said.
Cooreman played a pivotal role in managing Ikorodu United from the second tier to the NPFL in 2015 before leaving the club to join Akwa United.
Ikorodu United in their maiden NPFL season ran into a coaching cul-de-sac with Edema Benson, Sam Okpodu and Dutchman Theo de Jong managing the team in a nine-month spell of top-flight football.
Tag: Cooreman
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Cooreman returns to Ikorodu United
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Cooreman, others jostle for Plateau Utd job
Over five coaches including the immediate past head coach of Akwa United, Maurice Cooreman have applied for the vacant position of the Plateau United technical adviser less than two days after Zachary Baraje resigned his appointment with the Jos side for professional reasons.
The Media Officer of the team, Albert Dakup disclosed that the club has been inundated with coaches who have sent-in their applications with a view to be considered for the exalted position.
“We have over five coaches that have submitted their applications for the post of technical adviser. Maurice Cooreman is among them. We are keeping our cards close to our chests. We will soon announce the list of those we are going to shortlist and pick our next coach,” Dakup told Goal.
Dakup hinted that the target before the next technical adviser would be to surpass the eighth position finished by Baraje at the end of the past season where they amassed 51 points from 36 matches.
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Cooreman says Rivers United need to improve
Rivers United must improve ahead of next season’s CAF Champions League after they booked their ticket to represent Nigeria in the 2017 CAF Champions League.
“Based on what I saw from Rivers United against my club, Akwa United (on Sunday), there are many teams in Nigeria currently better than Rivers United.
“However, I have known the coach of Rivers United, Stanley Eguma for a very long time and if there is anybody to make this team stronger than it is, he is that man. He (Eguma) will decide who will stay in the team and who will leave (to make them stronger),” Maurice Cooreman told supersport.com.
The Pride of Rivers defeated Akwa United 2-1 on the final day of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season to emerge runners up behind eventual champions, Enugu Rangers.
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Cooreman wants Rivers Utd’s scalp
Akwa United trainer, Maurice Cooreman has said his charges will be going for a win when they face Rivers United on match day 38 of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
Coach of Akwa United, Daboere Dokubo said a win against the ‘Pride of Rivers’ is ‘non-negotiable’ as they look to finish the season on a high.
“I had a chat with the technical adviser (Maurice) Cooreman this morning and he is of the opinion that we must beat Rivers United on Sunday to end the season on a high.
“It is also the thinking of all our coaches, players and fans too. A victory is important because it is our last game of the season,” Dokubo told supersport.com.
Two stalwarts of Akwa United, Yusuf Adio and Friday Ubong are due to miss the clash against Rivers United as a result of suspension but Dokubo insists replacements are on standby to fill in for the duo.
“The two suspended players have not played all our games this season.
“Adio was injured for a while before he made a return to the first team.
“We have capable replacements for them, he said.
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Several clubs want me-Cooreman
Akwa United’s Belgian trainer, Maurice Cooreman, has revealed that he is wanted by other clubs and could consider quitting the ‘Promise Keepers’ at the end of the season.
Cooreman has endured a complicated relationship with the management of Akwa United since he joined from Lagos club, Ikorodu United.
He was suspended on two occasions for actions which the board felt undermined the other members of his backroom staff but the veteran trainer says he is not worried about his future.
“I don’t know what the management (of Akwa United) is thinking.I have a contract for two years but if they don’t want me, they should pay me off and I will leave.
I have other teams that want me,” he told supersport.com.
Cooreman is probably the most travelled coach presently in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
He has previously coached Bendel Insurance, Lobi Stars and Gabros (now FC Ifeanyiubah). Other clubs also trained by Cooreman include NPA (now Warri Wolves), Ocean Boys, Enyimba and Ghanaian giants, Kumasi Asante Kotoko.
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Cooreman blames Akwa Utd’s loss on fatigue
Akwa United handler, Maurice Cooreman has stated that his team’s defeat to Enugu Rangers in Saturday’s Nigeria Professional Football League was as a result of fatigue.
The Promise Keepers lost 3-2 to the title-chasing Flying Antelopes at the Akwa Ibom Stadium, scoring an own goal within the first five minutes of the game.
Cooreman in his post-match briefing believes his side’s packed schedule is to blame for the home defeat.
“When you score an own goal in a match, everybody’s enthusiasm is down and that gives confidence to the away team,” said Cooreman.
“Playing three matches in five days make the players to be tired and they could not perform very well today. But we will put in our best to win the Federation Cup to compensate for this loss,” he concluded.
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Akwa Utd’s Cooreman excited to be back
Restored Akwa United head coach, Maurice Cooreman has told SportingLife that he is delighted that issues regarding his suspension had been laid to rest and has assured that he would continue to work with his assistant coaches.
Cooreman revealed that he does not want to blow the issue out of proportion and that he is happy to resume back to his duty post and that all emphasis is on their weekend’s league clash against Heartland in Owerri.
He told SportingLife that he used the break to reflect on so many things and that he has come back better and further re-energised to take Akwa United to the next level.
“I have resumed back to work and I am happy that everything has been settled. I don’t want to talk too much so that I’m not misquoted. Everything is fine and we are preparing for our match with Heartland on Sunday.
Cooreman will be looking to ensure that the Promise Keepers move up the log’s ladder than their present sixth position on the league table with 32 points from 22 matches.
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Cooreman risks outright sack
Zamalek have left out injury-hit skipper Mahmoud Shikabala, but named Nigeria’s Moruf Youssef and Zambia forward Emmanuel Mayuka on a 19–man squad for Sunday’s CAF Champions League Group B tie at Enyimba.
Playmaker Ayman Hefny has also been left because of injury.
Nigerian Moruf Youssef is also on the squad to Port Harcourt as are several Egypt internationals including goalkeeper Ahmed El-Shennawy and Hamada Tolba.
The Egyptian champions will be counting on former Southampton striker Mayuka for goals in Nigeria against Enyimba.
The Champions League group game will be played on Sunday and kick-off time is 4pm local time.
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Akwa Utd suspend Cooreman again
Akwa United head coach ,Maurice Cooreman has been slapped with a two-week suspension just days after he was recalled from “an indefinite leave.”
Cooreman was ordered to proceed on the said leave on April 25, a day after the Promise Keepers suffered a 0-1 home defeat to champions, Enyimba in a Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) game a day earlier.
The veteran Belgian trainer was recalled on May 30 but has now been hit with yet another suspension following what the management of the club termed “unsatisfactory actions” on his part, according to club spokesman, Uwem Ekoh.
“Cooreman was originally suspended for one month and he resumed work on Monday. He was part of the two training sessions we had on that day but seemed not to be satisfied with certain things he met on ground.
“The management of the club also found the way he handled the training sessions unsatisfactory. So they met and decided to extend his suspension for another two weeks,” Ekoh told supersport.com.
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Akwa Utd is the team to beat – Cooreman
Akwa United Coach, Maurice Cooreman says he is building a compact unit after the team wrapped up another pre season title.
The 2015 Federation Cup winners defeated Enyimba FC, 4-3 on penalties to secure the NFF Charity Shield on Wednesday in Abuja.
Cooreman told footballlive.ng that the side are the team to beat this season in the NPFL. The former Enyimba handler was recently appointed by Uyo-based club and has got his dispensation at the side off with a bang.
The Belgian tactician secured a rare away win in the CAF Confederation Cup against Vita Club de Mokanda and in anticipation of the season’s opener proper, the 73-year-old says his team is a focused, disciplined unit and there’ll be no room for distractions.