The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Gombe United

  • Gombe United have a lot to fight for-Oladapo

    Gombe United have a lot to fight for-Oladapo

    Gombe United’s Augustine Oladapo is looking forward to the week one of the 2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) with a trip to Katsina United on Sunday.

    The match against the Nigeria National League (NNL) champions will be Oladapo’s official debut for the Savannah Scorpions and he is desperate to start the campaign with a win.

    It is a start of a hectic schedule for Gombe United with the Scorpions  welcoming Remo Stars to the Pantami International Stadium on Wednesday before a trip to Calabar  to take on Enyimba.

    Oladapo knows his side will have to be at their best to pick up the three points in Katsina.

    “It’s going to be very exciting to get into a rhythm and work every day to get improvements,” Oladapo told Goal.

    “The team who improves most of all during the season will win the league and we have a strong squad.

    “So if we keep on playing well and developing, we will have a very good chance to win it.

    “We have the Federation Cup as well, so we have a lot to fight for this season.”

    The NPFL battle between Gombe United and Kastina United will take place at the Karkanda Stadium on Sunday.

  • Remo stars dream victorious debut

    Remo stars dream victorious debut

    Premier league new comers Remo Stars are determined to begin their campaign on a victorious note.

    Coach of the side Daniel Ogumodede who opined that the Shagamu based side are not in the premier league to make up the numbers, added that the club and the players are looking forward to the opener in

    Shagamu where the team’s supporters are expected to turn out in large numbers.
    “We know what it means to be in the premier league, we are prepared to put in our very best. Starting

    on a victorious note will be good for us and we believe we can achieve that,” he said
    Ogumodede who led his side to a third place finish in the Nigeria National League Super 4 which had

    Gombe United, Kastina United, and ABS on parade, said although the side failed to win, the experience

    garnered in the course of playing equally talented and ambitious teams will come handy in Sunday’s

    match and subsequent fixtures.
    “Our performance in the Super 4 I believe was good enough and the experience that came with it will be

    very useful,” he submitted
    Remo Stars take on Plateau United on Sunday in their league opener, other matches that will arrest the

    attention of fans across the country include ABS against Akwa United and MFM versus Niger Tornadoes.

    Many are however likely to focus on the tie between league champions Rangers international and Abia

    Warriors as the Flying Antelopes begin their title defense.

  • Kano Pillars to face Shekarau Babes, Gombe United in friendlies

    Kano Pillars to face Shekarau Babes, Gombe United in friendlies

    • Count on Kano fans for victory in league opener

    Kano Pillars are hoping to play friendly matches with Shekarau Babes and Gombe United during their camping in Kaduna with a view to toughen them ahead of their NPFL 2016/17 Match Day One fixture with FC Ifeanyiubah on January 15.

    Pillars left for Kaduna last week and they are not expected to return until three days before their confrontation with the Anambra Warriors and the Chairman of the club, Tukur Babangida  told SportingLife that they are arranging friendly matches for the players and the technical crew to gauge the level of preparations for the coming season.

    Babangida revealed that Pillars are striving to open the new season with a bang and that with the support of their  fans, they are convinced that FC Ifeanyiubah and other teams won’t serve as a hindrance to their target of bouncing back.

  • Oladapo: Gombe United was the best option for me

    Oladapo: Gombe United was the best option for me

    Augustine Oladapo  believes his move to Gombe United was the best option available to him – despite attracting interests from other clubs.

    “I think I needed to come to Gombe United at this point in my career. Kwara United is a fantastic club with good players but I made the decision to leave the club in good faith, so I’m very happy to have made this move,” Oladapo told Goal.

    “I hope to earn a place in Gombe United and then try my hardest to stay there. I wanted to play in the NPFL again after my time at FC Ifeanyi Ubah in the past and join a club that is moving in the right direction. I decided this was the right move for me.

    “Coach Manu Garba has shown over the years that he is one of the best in the country. He is a very good coach who knows what he wants. For me he is the right man to take this club to the land of milk and honey.”

  • Gombe United ready for league kick off

    Gombe United ready for league kick off

    The management of Gombe United has expressed satisfaction with the team’s preparation and believes that they are set for the 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) kicks off.

    The club’s Assistant General Manager (Media and Publicity), Tanimu Umar while speaking on the team’s readiness for the forthcoming season  said the management has been preparing assiduously to bolster the club towards the very competitive NPFL.

    Umar said the Savannah Scorpions employed the services of first class technical adviser, Manu Garba and recruited experienced players that can help the team achieve its set objective for the season.

    “Right from the end of last season, we have not rested on our oars, we have been preparing to bolster the club towards the very competitive NPFL. We understood that we have to roll our sleeves and work assiduously if we can compete alongside well armed teams in the NPFL,” Umar stated.

    Speaking further, he said:  “We set the ball rolling by recruiting an internationally-acclaimed tactician as Technical Adviser, Coach Manu Garba (OON). Garba gained reputation by winning the FIFA U-17 Championships for Nigeria while in charge of the Golden Eaglets. We believe he can inspire our boys with a view to gaining glory in the coming season. The presence of Manu Garba invariably lured competent players to join the team. Today we have been able to complete the signing of 12 new players; these players were carefully selected to compliment the squad and to strengthen the team. We can boldly assure our teeming fans that we are good to go.

    “The upcoming Nigeria National League (NNL) Super 4 to be hosted in Gombe State will definitely be a litmus test before the commencement of the league. For that, we are urging our fans to come out en masse to cheer the team to victory. We need the support of all football stakeholders in the state; all hands should be on deck to ensure Gombe United make a huge statement of intent in the league. We thank the state government under the leadership of Dr Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, OON (Talban Gombe) for the ceaseless support to the team. We pray that the government shall continue to stand by us, continue to have confidence in us and embolden the team towards achieving laurels,” he added.

  • Gombe United unveil Zango, Ubale, Fabiyi, nine others

    Gombe United unveil Zango, Ubale, Fabiyi, nine others

    Gombe United have beefed-up its squad with additional 12 new players ahead of forthcoming Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season.

    Leading the park of the experienced newly signed players, according to the club’s media officer, Halilu Muhammed Teli, are former Kano Pillars defender Umar  Zango who played for El Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri last season,  Mannir  Ubale – Striker- from (Wikki Tourists)  and Fabiyi  Emmanuel – Goalkeeper- (Shooting Stars Sports Club) of Ibadan, Joseph Onwuga  (Goalkeeper), Suleiman Usman – Defensive midfielder- (Kano Pillars), Bala Mohammed – Right Back – (Kano Pillars).

    Others include; Chidera Ejuike – Midfielder  (Supreme FC), Austin Oladapo – Attacking Midfielder – (Kwara United), Garry Ayamkyeh – Striker – (Kwara United), Edward Bewarang – Midfielder – (Plateau United), Ola Ogundele – Defender – (Zamfara FC), Muhammad Isah (Babagamandi)- Attacking Midfielder-( Yarmalight FC).

    Teli believes the new signings would be a great addition to the club.

    He said the club is ready for the season, stressing that Savannah’s Scorpions would do well in the league.

    Gombe United gained promotion to the NPFL at the end of Nigeria National League (NNL) last season.

  • NORTH EAST PRE- SEASON TOURNEY: El Kanemi Warriors are champions

    NORTH EAST PRE- SEASON TOURNEY: El Kanemi Warriors are champions

  • Manu Garba is Gombe Utd’s technical adviser

    Manu Garba is Gombe Utd’s technical adviser

    The management of Gombe United has appointed Nigeria Golden Eaglets’ coach, Manu Garba, as Technical Adviser of the team ahead of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season.

    Garba’s appointment according to the club’s head of media, Tanimu Umar, is based on his experience and international standing.
    While confirming the deal, Garba said his plan for the club is to finish among the top four next season.

    “God willing, I will be in charge of Gombe United this football season. Our objective is to finish among the top four if we get the support from the management and train the players in all areas of football fitness as well as getting good pre-season training. Every player and official must work in harmony for us to achieve our aims,” Garba said.

    Based on this appointment, the technical crew has been reshuffled.
    The former technical adviser who guided the team to promotion, Hassan Abubakar is now the club’s chief coach. Ali Garba was named Assistant Coach I, Haruna Abdullahi will be Assistant coach II, while Glory Aghomon will serve as goalkeepers’ coach.

    However, the Savanah Scorpions have released ten players.
    The dropped players, according to the club, are Chinedu Kawawa and Obinna Akuchie (Goalkeepers), Douglas Uzama (Left full back), Shehu Maijama’a Demeron Efevwie (Central defenders) and Sarki Adewale Kabiru (Midfielder)
    Others are Tasi’u Mohammed, Alaba Johnson, Nnanna Orji, Shuaibu Amadu (Strikers).

  • Gombe United to retain Eguavoen

    Gombe United to retain Eguavoen

    Gombe United will keep faith with former Super Eagles’ coach, Austin Eguavoen and his other technical crew members for the next season, despite the Desert Scorpions‘ demotion to the lower league at the end of last season.

    The Gombe side struggled to remain in the elite division and even thrashed Abia Warriors 4-1 in the concluding fixture of the season but the maximum points couldn’t secure their place in the premier league for another season after Bayelsa United and FC Taraba picked up unlikely wins at Owerri and Port Harcourt against Heartland and Sharks.

    The club’s Camp Commandant, Garuba Tanko in a chat with SportingLife said the good works of Eguavoen and his other lieutenants during the second stanza proved that they would be able to take the club back to the elite division after a season in the lower league.

    Tanko enthused that Eguavoen has been charged with ensuring that the Desert Scorpions gain instant return to the top flight at the end of next season.

    To this end, Tanko revealed to SportingLifethat all the players that featured for the club were retained while a few are being watched to add more fireworks to the team next season.

    “We are not changing Austin Eguavoen at all because he is our coach for the next league season. He tried his best with the assistant coaches that we have and they have been charged with ensuring that Gombe United returns to the premier league at the end of the season.

    “We have also retained all the players that we used last season so as to fast track our return to the elite league. We were very close to remaining in the premier league before we narrowly missed out,” Tanko told SportingLife.

  • Eguavoen: We didn’t meet our target

    Eguavoen: We didn’t meet our target

    Head Coach of Gombe United, Austin Eguavoen is unhappy with his team’s 2-0 loss to Dolphins over the weekend.

    The result dragged Gombe United further down the table by one spot down to 18 from 17th reducing their chances of beating the drop to the NNL.

    “I feel bad. We came here to get at least four points from the two games but Dolphins are no push overs and someone must win a game,” Eguavoen said. On his part, Stanley Eguma, head coach of Dolphins was pleased with the victory, saying his players will soon begin to convert more of their scoring chances.

    “It was a good match and we needed the three points at stake. I praise the efforts of the players too. Gombe United came with very frustrating tactics and we had to change ours at half time,” Eguma said