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Tag: Ikhana

  • Ikhana: Enyimba won’t prepare differently for Rangers

    Ikhana: Enyimba won’t prepare differently for Rangers

    Enyimba FC head coach, Kadiri Ikhana has stated that he won’t tell his players to prepare anything differently besides same way they have built up for their previous matches when they lock on Sunday in Enugu.

    Ikhana and his players got a lovely victory over one of their league title challengers, Sunshine Stars after they dismantled the Akure Gunners 3-1 in Aba on Wednesday.

    The wide travelled tactician told SportingLife that he would tell his players just same thing he had told them in their previous matches.

    Ikhana praised his players for their nine matches unbeaten before they were broken by Warri Wolves last Wednesday.

    ” We are not going to prepare differently for the match with Enugu Rangers. We know they will be difficult to beat but we are going to do our home work well as we go in search of crucial points,” Ikhana told SportingLife.

    Enyimba are joint second on the log with Wikki Tourists with 33 points and the same number of goals difference(plus 9).

  • Ikhana keeps Enyimba grounded

    Ikhana keeps Enyimba grounded

    Enyimba coach Kadiri Ikhana has called on his players to remain focused after going eight matches without defeat in the Nigerian Premier League.

    On Wednesday, The People’s Elephant overcame Kwara United 3-2 away from home, although they remain second in the standings behind Sunshine Stars, albeit on goal difference.

    Enyimba next come up against Abia Warriors this weekend, but Ikhana is determined to keep his squad grounded.

    “Honestly, I don’t think we need to focus on the fact that we have gone unbeaten in eight matches. The season is still a long way to the end but yes, it is good for our confidence levels,” Ikhana told SuperSport.

    “It is a big game and you know derbies are always difficult. So our focus is now on that game.”

  • Enyimba were better than Nasarawa United-Ikhana

    Enyimba were better than Nasarawa United-Ikhana

    Enyimba head coach, Kadiri Ikhana, has said his side are unarguably the better side against Nasarawa United.

    The Peoples’ Elephant caged the Solid Miners 2-0 in Sunday’s Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) match day 14 encounter at the Enyimba International Stadium, Aba.

    Goals from striker, Christian Obiozor and Ifeanyi George proved adequate to hand the Aba outfit the maximum three points at stake.

    Ikhana said victory makes the whole difference in football as well as brings happiness to the party involved.

    “Of course, everybody is happy with the convincing 2-0 win against Nasarawa United.

    “Everybody wants positive result and here we are with a win; the joyous mood around us is perceivable even from far distance.

    “I’m excited that this victory has added to the past six matches we have played without losing.

    “We will continue to work hard to further the unbeaten run in the next matches.

    “Nasarawa United are a good team, they played their hearts out to see how to redeem the situation but I think we were far better on match day and ably deserved the hard-earned victory,” said the former Kwara United coach to supersport.com.

    The victory against Nasarawa United has upped Enyimba’s points to 26, one point behind leaders, Wikki Tourists.

  • Ikhana, Ogunbote praise Keshi’s reappointment

    Ikhana, Ogunbote praise Keshi’s reappointment

    Enyimba coach Kadiri Ikhana and Sharks FC manager Gbenga Ogunbote have praised the NFF’s reappointment of Stephen Okechukwu Keshi as the man to lead the country’s senior men football team for the next two years.

    The former Super Falcons head coach said Keshi has always been the best candidate for the Super Eagles in as much as some Nigerians don’t want him.

    Ikhana in a chat with futaa.com in Aba said: “Keshi is the right man for the Super Eagles job. Nigerians are quick to forget what he achieved with the Super Eagles but just because he didn’t qualify Nigeria for the AFCON 2015, that’s why he has many haters. That’s exactly what we coaches face, once you lose a game or fail to qualify for a tournament, people start calling for your head, forgetting that you just can’t win every day,’’ Ikhana stated.

    Sharing the former Kano Pillars coach’s opinion is Sharks of Port-Harcourt head coach Ogunbote who sees Keshi’s return as a welcome development that will help stabilise the national team.

    ‘’I believe the return of Keshi is good as he’s been with the team for a while and the terrain is not new to him. It is something Nigerians should be happy about, all Keshi needs to do now is to harmonise the team more.” Ogunbote told futaa.com.

    Ogunbote also praised the NFF for offering Keshi the much awaited contract and a second chance, noting that Nigerians are already seeing the body’s good work, especially in the area of league officiating.

    Both coaches urged Nigerians to rally round Keshi and give him the much needed support to help move the country’s national team to the next level.

  • Ikhana happy ahead of Smouha ACL tie

    Ikhana happy ahead of Smouha ACL tie

    Enyimba head coach, Kadiri Ikhana has said his wards are in a good mood going into the clash against Egyptian giants, Smouha Sporting Club.

    The two-time African champions will confront the North Africans in Sunday’s CAF Champions League second round first leg fixture at the Enyimba International Stadium, Aba.

    Ikhana said the hitherto warring players are fully back in training and poised for a comfortable win on home soil on Sunday.

    “We’re preparing very well for Sunday’s clash against Smouha Sporting Club of Egypt. We’ve sorted out things with the aggrieved old players and everybody is back to training and united on the task at hand.

    “Things are quite better right now, the players are in good mood and I’m the happiest person with the positive turn of events.The North Africans never change, always the same, so we don’t expect the Egyptian opponents to be different though I’m keeping my match plan to myself.

    “However, we want to play well and win convincingly too at home, knowing that the decisive fixture will be away to Smouha SC in Alexandria, Egypt. We’re not going to leave any stone unturned to ensure we win well so as to make the second leg a mere formality.

    “I don’t have any injury worry among the players at the moment, I’m hopeful of fielding the very best legs,” said the former Kwara United Head Coach to supersport.com.

    Enyimba edged Beninese opponents, Buffles du Borgou 4-0 on aggregate in the first round of Africa’s elite league competition and will be better off with a repeat performance before the second leg clash in Alexandria in the weekend of April 3-5.

  • Ikhana assures of Enyimba

    Ikhana assures of Enyimba

    Enyimba’s head coach Kadiri Ikhana has maintained that the People’s Elephant are almost set for the return leg of their preliminary round CAF Champions League tie away to Buffles du Borgou of Benin Republic.

    The twice African Champions defeated the Beninoise 3-0 in the first leg played at the Enyimba International Stadium, Aba last Sunday and they must protect their advantage if they want to advance to the next round.

    Ikhana told SportingLife that they have made necessary corrections to the errors noticed in the first leg and that they will be going to Cotonou with the aspirations of getting an away win.

    He rued his team’s inability to have star striker, Mfon Udoh in the earlier rounds of the competition as he was assumed to have sealed an overseas move and thus was omitted from the players registered.

    Ikhana also said  they won’t have a problem blending with the turf their host will be presenting for the second leg clash as it is the same grass surface as the pitch at Aba adding that everything is being done to ensure that Enyimba gives a good account of themselves in Cotonou.

  • Ikhana: We will make a great impact

    Ikhana: We will make a great impact

    Enyimba coach, Kadiri Ikhana, has boasted that his side will make a significant impact in this year’s CAF Champions League.

    The People’s Elephants, champions of Africa in 2003 and 2004, have failed to make any reasonable impact since then, and even failed to make the group stage of the competition last season.

    But Ikhana, the first coach to lead a Nigerian club to CAF Champions League triumph, says Enyimba will be better in this year’s CAF Champions League campaign.

    “We didn’t do too well last year but we have been working hard to ensure we get better and I know this year will be different because we want to at least get to the group stage of the competition.

    “This is a competition we have won before, so you can’t really say we are inexperienced but maybe we have not been lucky enough.

    “We are happy that we have the Super 6 now, at least that should help our preparation, since the league may not have resumed by the time we start our continental campaign but we are hopeful of having a better outing this year,” he said.

    Enyimba are home to Buffles du Borgou of Benin Republic in the first leg of the first round of the 2015 CAF champions league, and will entertain their guests at the Aba Township Stadium.

  • Ikhana, Anyansi confident of Federation Cup glory

    Ikhana, Anyansi confident of Federation Cup glory

    Enyimba top officials, Kadiri Ikhana and Felix Anyansi Agwu have both exuded confidence that the Peoples Elephant would retain the Federation Cup crown they won last year when they face Dolphins in the 2014 final tomorrow.

    The Aba Millionaires defeated Warri Wolves to lift their third Federation Cup title last year after a nail-biting challenge in the final at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos and the two Enyimba officials have told NationSport that the club would be eyeing the fourth title tomorrow.

    Ikhana  revealed that Enyimba are set for the defence of the title they won last year.

    The nomadic tactician hinted that with all his players almost injury free it would be difficult for any club to halt their march in the final of the 2014 Federation Cup.

    “We are ready for the final and we are fine-tuning arrangement in Abeokuta. We shall be ready for Dolphins. All my players are eager to roll,” Ikhana told NationSport.

    The chairman of the club, Felix Anyansi Agwu also told NationSport in a recent interview that Enyimba won’t have problem with putting an end to Dolphins’ Federation Cup final record where they are yet to lose out of four encounters.

    Anyansi praised Enyimba’s players doggedness till the end of the season adding that revenge won’t be in their mind when they tackle Dolphins on Sunday in Lagos.

  • Ikhana: Enyimba ready for Pillars

    Ikhana: Enyimba ready for Pillars

    •Says his players will surprise Sai Masu Gida

    Enyimba’s head coach, Kadiri Ikhana has told SportingLife that the People’s Elephant’s players are ready for the final match of the season against Kano Pillars who just won the Premier League title for a third straight season.

    The Aba Millionaires need a win against Sai Masu Gida to be guaranteed a spot in next season’s CAF Champions League after their capitulation against Dolphins in the last game ensured that they surrendered the league title to Pillars before the final game of the season.

    Ikhana in a recent interview told SportingLife that he has had discussions with his players based on the draw  in Port Harcourt against Dolphins which put paid to their league ambitions and that he has urged the players to be very competitive against Pillars so that they are able to get the maximum points.

    He said returning to the CAF Champions League next season should be the main priority of the players and that getting that objective is a must to ensure  Enyimba are able to match the feat recording last year.

    “I have been doing a lot of talking to the players and they have been responding  to my clarion call that they should forget about our failure to win the league but they should instead concentrate on ensuring that we are second at the end of the season and also win the Federation Cup,” Ikhana told SportingLife.

    Enyimba are second on the league table with 61 points from 37 matches and a win over the reigning league champions would ensure the club matches last season’s position in the league. They later went on to beat Warri Wolves on penalties to claim the 2013 Federation Cup title. They are through to the final of the same competition this year and will face Dolphins on November 23 in Lagos.

  • Ikhana: Enyimba will win in Omoku

    Ikhana: Enyimba will win in Omoku

    •Says six clubs in title race

    Enyimba’s head coach, Kadiri Ikhana has tipped six clubs with a chance of ending the Glo Premier League season as champions because of the tight race at the top table with only three matches to the end of the season.

    The People’s Elephant put themselves further in the hunt for their first league title since 2010 on Wednesday by pipping El Kanemi Warriors 1-0 at Aba and preserved their third place spot with 57 points from 35 matches.

    Ikhana, in an exclusive chat with SportingLife, noted that Kano Pillars, Warri Wolves, Enyimba, Nasarawa United and two other clubs have almost equal chances of winning the league.

    He praised this season’s competitiveness in the league while warning his players to take their three remaining games against Nembe City, Dolphins and Kano Pillars seriously if they want the league to remain at Aba at the end of the season.

    Ikhana told SportingLife that he believes in his boys and even though their next game at Omoku against Nembe City would be difficult, they are gunning for a win so they can continue to be in the reckoning till the end of the season.

    The former Super Falcons’ coach also expressed relief that some of his injured players like Raphal Buomsong and Ugwu Uwadiegwu have resumed training and may be available for selection for Sunday’s game against the basement club at the Krisdera Hotel Stadium, Omoku.