The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Dobrev

  • Dobrev targets top three finish

    Dobrev targets top three finish

    Mitko Dobrev wants a top-three finish for FC IfeanyiUbah (FCIU) in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) this season.

    “Before the game against Rivers United on Sunday, I told my players that they would have a chance of finishing in the top three if they won the game. From today, my team will be targeting finishing in the top three places in the league.

    “I have very good players who can help us achieve these objectives,” he told supersport.com.

    The Bulgarian trainer watched his largely reinforced side defeat high-flying Rivers United 2-0 in an NPFL game in Nnewi on Sunday to climb to 11th in the standings.

    Finishing in any of the top three places at the end of the season will guarantee FCIU a ticket to play in next season’s Caf Champions League or Confederation Cup and Dobrev says that is the objective of the club this term.

  • Dobrev plots Plateau Utd’s fall in Nnewi

    Dobrev plots Plateau Utd’s fall in Nnewi

    FC Ifeanyi Ubah coach, Mitko Dobrev,  has declared that he has information about Plateau United ahead of their week ten NPFL clash in Nnewi.

    The former Heartland FC coach insisted that he’s got a strong squad to compound the Jos-based team’s woes.

    “The State FA Cup served us well especially in the area of testing the fitness level of the players,” Dobrev told Goal.

    “As I speak to you,  there are 18 players ready to get the job done today against Plateau United. Though Mahamodu Cisse and Nico Dao are yet to hit full fitness but a quality squad is already been assembled.

    The Anambra Warriors may have received enough information about their visitors, as Dobrev highlight some facts.

    “I saw Plateau United play away against Enugu Rangers and I know that their coach,  Zakare Baraje won the 2015 Federation Cup while he was with Aka United. He is a good tactician but that won’t make him one against us tomorrow,” he added.

    “They will definitely be a tough opponent as their poor away form may motivate them to give an extra effort but still we shall target victory which is the most important thing to us.”

    FC Ifeanyi Ubah are ten places ahead of Plateau United on the log but a win for the Anambra Warriors and a loss for table toppers,  Enugu Rangers away at MFM FC, will see Dobrev’s charges take over the number spot.

  • Dobrev rejoins FC Ifeanyi Ubah

    Dobrev rejoins FC Ifeanyi Ubah

    Bulgarian coach, Mitko Dobrev has signed a deal to handle Premier League side, FC Ifeanyi Ubah ahead of next season.

    Though details of the deal were not disclosed to SportingLife, this will be the second time that the ex-Heartland gaffer will be in charge of the Nnewi side after leading them to the Premier League two seasons ago.

    Dobrev, who was also linked to Enyimba, flew into the country last Friday to rejoin the club where he was thought to have been sacked early last season.

    But officials of the club explained that he left the club last year to take up a one year coaching course after reaching an understanding with the club.

    Dobrev who was received by the Chairman of FC Ifeanyi Ubah, Chukwuma Ubah could not hide his delight on his return to the Nnewi based side.

    Chukwuma Ubah expressed his pleasure at the return of the gaffer whom he described as an experienced coach, especially when it comes to African football.

    “We are extremely delighted to have him back with us and we firmly believe he is the right man to steer this ship to its destination,” Chukwuma affirmed.

    Dobrev was eventually hosted by the President of FC Ifeanyi Ubah, Chief Ifeanyi Ubah at his Lagos residence where the President shared his vision and dream for the premier league club this year. Chief Ubah noted that his love and passion for the club and Nigerian football in general were responsible for the massive investments he is currently making into the playing and coaching staff of FC Ifeanyi Ubah.

    Recall that only three days ago, FC Ifeanyi Ubah flew in six Brazilian professional footballers and two assistant coaches all in a bid to mount a sustained and successful title challenge.

    Dobrev was unveiled as Head Coach of FC Ifeanyi Ubah yesterday in Ibadan at the team’s camp site.

  • Enyimba target Dobrev, Aigbogun as Ikhana’s replacement

    • Want Biffo as chief coach

    League champions, Enyimba FC have reportedly set it’s sights on making either  former Gabros technical adviser, Mitko Dobrev or Warri Wolves technical adviser, Paul Aigbogun as their new coach should Kadiri Ikhana be sacked.

    Ikhana led Enyimba to the league champions at the end of the 2014/2015 season but reports have it that the Peoples Elephants could announce Ikhana’s departure this week.

    SportingLife scooped from the team’s camp in Aba that the management has already set machinery in motion to get in touch with the coaches in question to know about their availability for the  job.

    The Bulgarian coach, Dobrev managed Gabros International before he was relieved of his job when the club was taken over by IfeanyinUbah FC. He was a former coach of another Glo League side, Heartland FC of Oweri as well as Accra Hearts of Oak coach, Ghana.

    His knowledge of African football is believed to have caught the attention of Enyimba FC’s management who poised to make a bold statement in the CAF Champions League next season.

    Should the move for Dobrev fail, SportingLife gathered, Aigbogun could be the only alternative for the 7th time league champions as they aim for the third continental trophy.

    Aigbogun had recently expressed uncertainty over his future at Warri Wolves next season.

    Aigbogun, who is currently on holiday with his family in London, guided Warri Wolves to the second position on the log and picked a CAF Champions league ticket.

    Warri Wolves were ravaged with unpaid wages last season which affected their programmes as players on several occasions threatened to boycott their league matches.

    If Aigbogun thinks of the way he managed Warri Wolves last he could have a re-think in staying with Seasiders for another season.

    However, SportingLife also understands that Niger Tornadoes head coach Abdullahi Biffo has been contacted by Enyimba FC with a move to make him a chief coach with a substantive wages.

    Biffo, who guided Tornadoes to top division from the Nigeria National League last season, recently signed a new one year deal with Minna-based side.

    Nigerian champions, Enyimba of Aba, will kick-off their CAF Champions League campaign against Vipers of Uganda in the preliminary round.

    The Ugandan champions will host the first leg of the encounter before they fly to Aba to keep a date with Enyimba two weeks later. The winner will take on either lioli of Lesotho or Vital ‘O from Burundi in the next stage of the competition.