The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ikhana

  • TECHNICAL ADVISER: Ikhana meets with 3SC players

    TECHNICAL ADVISER: Ikhana meets with 3SC players

    The management of Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side, 3SC on Monday introduced Kadiri Ikhana as the side’s new technical adviser for the upcoming season.

    Ikhana guided Enyimba to win their seventh league title on a record 70 points in the out gone 2014/15 NPFL season.

    An official of the side, Jubril Arowolo said the former Kwara United handler has already been introduced to the players as he expressed satisfaction with the new challenge at the Ibadan landlords.

    “The management has finally appointed Kadiri Ikhana as technical adviser for the coming NPFL season. Ikhana was introduced to the players after Monday afternoon’s training where he expressed his joy to work with 3SC.

    “Though no expressed mandate is handed to him but both parties expect a better performance than last season. The management has absolute confidence in Ikhana to deliver the goods at the right time at least to take the side further than their ninth finish in the out gone season.

    “With Ikhana’s pedigree and reputation it won’t be asking for too much to expect him to deliver the league title or earn a continental ticket at the end of the coming season.

    “Ikhana told the players that he is happy with the new challenge and said together they will lift 3SC to a higher height,” said Arowolo to supersport.com.

    Ikhana now replaces former helmsman, Gbenga Ogunbote who has switched allegiance to the Jos based side, Giwa FC.

    The Oluyole Warriors will kickoff their league title account against Lobi Stars in Ibadan at the start of the 2015/16 NPFL season on February 21.

  • I’m yet to recover from Enyimba sack- Ikhana

    I’m yet to recover from Enyimba sack- Ikhana

    Former Enyimba head coach, Kadiri Ikhana has said he is not in a hurry to commit to any side in the coming top flight season.

    The former Kwara United coach was asked to go after he guided the People’s Elephant to a record seventh league title in the out gone season.

    Ikhana said he needs to steady himself for a while as he never bargained for the shocker that befell him at Enyimba.

    “I have decided not to rush things because I never planned for what befell me at Enyimba which remains a rude shock.

    “I want to re-examine all over again the whole experience to see where I got it wrong though it has been really difficult laying hand on any fault committed while on the saddle.

    “The closest I have come to fault myself were the few times we had arguments on the job which is normal outside that I do not think I did anything wrong.

    “Though I’m getting over the shock right now I still want to relax a bit before I  give any club my word for the upcoming league season.

    “Of course, there have been clubs rushing to have me on their bench but I do not want to rush any decision.

    “If I say what happened at Enyimba did not touch my heart then I’m a liar so I need the whole time to make a commitment.

    “Right now what is uppermost on my mind is the upcoming three-day coaching seminar in Ghana next month, I need the refresher course as well as to further calm and stabilise myself for the task ahead,” said the former Kano Pillars and Nasarawa United coach to supersport.com.

  • Ikhana linked with Nasarawa return

    Ikhana linked with Nasarawa return

    Coach Kadiri Ikhana could make a sensational return to Nasarawa United after he was let go by champions Enyimba. Ikhana ensured Nasarawa stayed up in the Nigeria premier league three seasons ago.

    ‘The Solid Miners’ will in the new year feature in the CAF Confederation Cup after they finished third in the league and the international experience of Ikhana could come in handy, sources close to the Lafia club have suggested.

    Nasarawa were guided by former ABS FC coach Kabiru Suleiman Dogo after Mohammed Babaganaru returned to Kano Pillars in mid-season.

  • 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.

  • Ikhana gets high ratings from Enaholo

    Ikhana gets high ratings from Enaholo

    Enyimba FC goalkeeper Joshua Enaholo has said that Coach Kadiri Ikhana is the reason behind the team’s title winning success in the just concluded Nigeria Professional Football League season.

    The People’s Elephants deservedly emerged as the champions of the top flight with 70 points from 38 matches, seven more than second-placed Warri Wolves.

    Speaking to News24, Enaholo believes the two-time CAF Champions League winners have returned to their good old days.

    “Coach Kadiri Ikhana is the main reason for our excellent form throughout the recently concluded league campaign. With more hard work from the management and the players he led us to the title,” the 19-year-old said in an interview with News24.

    ”We are back to the golden years and I believe the club will aspire to greater heights next season.”

    Enyimba won their seventh NPFL shield at the end of the 2014/2015 season.

  • Ikhana hails players for League title

    Ikhana hails players for League title

    Enyimba have  officially been confirmed champions of the 2015 NPFL season dropping the curtain on a difficult season with a goalless result against Sunshine Stars at the Teslime Balogun Stadium.

    The last time the Kadiri Ikhana led his men to Lagos was in a Federation Cup final against Dolphins and though he’ll not be defending the Cup he’ll return to Aba with the League title and a ticket for next season’s CAF Champions League.

    “I am the happiest coach in Nigeria today for winning the title. This is special. Returning to Enyimba after 12 years to win the league. Credit to my players and the club management,” Ikhana said.

    Enyimba wrapped out the League on 70 points with Warri Wolves in second – They play their match against FC Taraba today. The top two teams qualify for the CAF Champions League next season.

  • Olofinjana blasts: If Ikhana is the best NPFL Coach, there’s a problem

    Olofinjana blasts: If Ikhana is the best NPFL Coach, there’s a problem

    Former Super Eagles and Kwara United midfielder, Seyi Olofinjana has fired a shot at the quality of oaches in Nigeria after Kadiri Ikhana’s Enyimba wrapped up the 2015 NPFL season on Sunday.

    The champions finished with 70 points and will represent Nigeria at next season’s CAF Champions League.

    Olofinjana who was at the Teslim Balogun Stadium to watch the final League game between Sunshine Stars and Enyimba was critical of the performance of young coaches in the country.

    “If Kadiri Ikhana is the best coach in Nigeria, without any disrespect to his illustrious career, I think its shame. That we don’t have young coaches who can lead teams means there’s a problem with the quality of the League and Nigeria Football,’ the former Kwara United man told www.footballlive.ng

    Kadiri Ikhana guided Enyimba to the 2004 CAF Champions League title and secured the club’s 7th NPFL crown last week after a goalless draw against Warri Wolves.

  • Ikhana: 3SC were fortunate not lose by wide margin

    Ikhana: 3SC were fortunate not lose by wide margin

    Kadiri Ikhana is still upbeat that Enyimba can get an away win from their remaining three road trips to Lafia, Umuahia and Akure and thus seal their much anticipated record setting seventh league title at the end of the season.

    Enyimba clawed their way back in their last game at home to 3SC before beating the Oluyole Warriors 2-1 at the Enyimba International Stadium, Aba and Ikhana told SportingLife that the Ibadan side were one of the most fortunate teams that visited Aba this season.

    Ikhana revealedthat with three points in their kitty they would be travelling to Lafia for the weekend tie with Nasarawa United with similar conviction that the tie could be the venue where they would get the much desired away points to seal their seventh league title obsession.

    He said Enyimba won’t be blurred with the fact that they are currently ahead of others with five points adding that they would keep on exerting themselves until they are aware that they have been declared the league champions.

    “I will say without mincing words that 3SC were very lucky to only lose this game by a goal margin. My boys created about six promising chances in the first half  and lost almost all and it was the same in the second half. We are glad we won and are still on top of the league with five points.

    “We will continue to approach all our remaining matches with caution knowing that a win in either Lafia, Umuahia or Akure would ensure we win the league at the end of the season,” Ikhana told SportingLife.

    Enyimba are on top of the league table with 61 points from 33 matches and they have matches against Nasarawa United, Kwara United, Warri Wolves and Sunshine Stars before the end of the season.

  • Ikhana: Enyimba’s NPFL title intact

    Ikhana: Enyimba’s NPFL title intact

    Enyimba head coach Kadiri Ikhana has said the loss at Heartland did nothing to diminish the side’s title chase.

    The Aba outfit were pegged 1-2 by Heartland in match day 32 encounter in Owerri on Sunday.

    Ikhana said though the unexpected defeat has raised the pressure level within the side, one or two wins on the road while the home front is intact will secure the dream of a seventh title.

    “I will say confidently that the league title belongs to Enyimba despite the shocking 1-2 defeat at Heartland. What we need to counter the loss at Heartland is to win our remaining home matches while we strive to pick up at least one or two wins on the road.

    “Of course, we never bargained for the type of result we got at Heartland, it’s certain to push up the pressure but I know we will overcome at the end of the day,” said the former Nasarawa United coach to supersport.com.

    Enyimba are still at the 20-team top flight summit on 58 points, three points ahead of closest challengers Warri Wolves.

  • Ikhana: Enyimba away win from league title

    Ikhana: Enyimba away win from league title

    Enyimba coach Kadiri Ikhana has said his club need an away win to be crowned Nigeria champions for the seventh time.

    Enyimba are top of the table with 58 points from 31 matches, five points clear of closest rivals Sunshine Stars.

    Their remaining away games are at Sunshine Stars, Nasarawa United and derbies against Abia Warriors and Heartland.

    “We need to win an away game and we will be champions,” said Ikhana after Sunday’s 2-0 home win over fellow title chasers Wikki Tourists.

    “We have recorded five draws and won four for a total of 17 points on the road.

    “We want to keep the pace and we are doing just that. Last week, we had a four-point gap and this week, five-point gap. So, you can see the difference.”

    However, Ikhana maintained the title race remains too close to call.

    “Everybody is very far from trophy because we still have seven matches to play. The gap at the top is still close,” he said.

    On Sunday in Aba, Ikhana deployed skipper Chinedu Udoji from his familiar central defence position to defensive midfield and he scored the two goals that sunk Wikki.

    “We had several chances, we should have been three goals up in the first half. In the second half, we came close too. We created several chances, but did not utilise them,” the coach said.

    “Maybe I should take some credit for Udoji’s goals because before now he has not scored playing under several other coaches.

    “I am happy about that.”