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: Ikorodu United
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Cooreman returns to Ikorodu United
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Kabiru Balogun close to Kano Pillars switch
Kano Pillars have begun talks with Ikorodu United’s striker Kabiru Balogun with aim of signing the player ahead of the 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League season, SportingLife can report.
A source in the Sai Masu Gida’s camp revealed that the versatile forward had started training with the team as they sweat it out in their pre-season camp in Lokoja.
Balogun was active in the Ikorudu United team last season but his effort was not enough to save the Oga Boys from relegation.
“In fact, Balogun started training with us in Kano and he is in camp in Lokoja now. As you can see, the club is determined to do well this season that is why we are bringing quality players into the team. Kabiru and other players that are coming into our team have quality that any team in the league can boast of,” a source
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Maikaba seeks Rangers slip at Ikorodu United
Wikki Tourists coach, Abdul Maikaba has said he now hopes league leaders, Rangers slip at Ikorodu United on Sunday and his team wins their remaining two matches to be crowned Nigeria champions.
Wikki are back in title contention after a hard-fought 1-0 home win over title chasers Rivers United at the weekend.
They have 54 points from 34 matches, three points behind Rangers and two points behind Rivers United.
Wikki Tourists will face Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) in Ibadan in their penultimate league of the season on September 25 before rounding off their campaign with a fixture against Sunshine Stars in Bauchi on October 2.
“Wikki still have the chance to win the league because mathematically, with two matches to go, we still have a chance as we are just three points behind the leaders, Enugu Rangers. We have a better goals difference compared to Rangers, so if they lose an away game, we will be tied with them on points but we need to win our last two matches as well,” Maikaba said.
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Baraje: Plateau United will stop Ikorodu United
The head coach of Plateau United, Zachary Baraje has praised the impressive run of Ikorodu United in the concluding part of the current campaign but disclosed to SportingLife that the Jos side would put an end to the Oga Boys’ recent good spell.
Ikorodu United have taken the league by storm since they got to Abeokuta’s MKO Abiola Stadium and have beaten Enyimba and Kano Pillars and an away win in Owerri against Heartland.
Baraje informed SportingLife that with the full complement of their players in place for the weekend tie, Ikorodu United will have it tough surmounting Plateau United.
The former Enyimba and Nasarawa United coach praised Ikorodu United for their fighting spirits despite having no realistic chance of playing in the elite division next season.
Plateau United are 13th on the log with 45 points from 33 matches
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Bottom team Ikorodu United stun Enyimba in 5-goal thriller
Bottom team Ikorodu United are most certainly not going down without a fight after they stunned champions Enyimba 3-2 in a thrilling rescheduled Nigeria league game yesterday in Abeokuta.
Ikorodu added Enyimba to their victims after wins over Heartland and Kano Pillars lately, but they remain bottom of the table with 32 points from 33 matches.
Seven-time champions Enyimba remain in seventh place on 49 points after 33 games with hopes of playing international football next year via the league now in tatters.
The Lagos club took the lead after 28 minutes through Fatai Abdullahi, but Enyimba drew level four minutes later, when Mfon Udoh scored from the penalty spot after goalkeeper Adamu Azeez fouled goal-bound Musa Najare.
Ikorodu then regained the lead in the 53rd minute, when Oluwole Johnson fired past Enyimba shot stopper Theophilus Afelokhai.
However, Enyimba responded swiftly when Najare scored to make it 2-2 on 61 minutes.
Substitute for Ikorodu United Michael Okoyoh will then deliver the killer blow against his former club in the 68th minute.
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Ikorodu United’s Francis eyeing positive end
Ikorodu United defender Shedrack Francis believes their surprise victory over Heartland FC will help them to a strong finish to the 2016 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season.
The Oga Boys tore the form books to shreds when they shocked the Naze Millionaires in a Match Day 34 fixture of the NPFL last weekend with a 1-0 victory at the Dan Anyiam Stadium courtesy of Fatai Abdullahi’s second half screamer.
“We had a great game against Heartland, ” Francis told Goal.
“Both sides gave a good account of themselves.
“But I think we deserved to celebrate the huge result.
“Our hope is to maintain the same form as we did against Heartland by the time we host Kano Pillars because we want to end the season on a bright note.”
Ikorodu United are bottom of the NPFL table with 26 points from 31 matches.
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Audu targets clean sheet in derby
Ikorodu United goalkeeper, Adamu Audu has told SportingLife he is looking forward to securing a clean sheet and a result against MFM in one of the NPFL Week 5 encounter today at the Onikan Stadium.
Audu had only conceded two goals in the team’s debut season in top flight division, his second coming in their 1-0 loss to Enyimba in a midweek encounter.
So far this season, Ikorodu United has won one match, drawn one and lost one and are currently placed on the 14th position on the log with four points and a game at hand.
Playing against MFM in a Lagos derby encounter, Audu said his main aim to help his team secure victory without conceding any goal.
“We will no doubt be targeting outright victory against MFM today. I pray that we play much better and luck on our side.
“My aim now is to try as much as possible not to concede any goal against MFM because if we win it will be a double joy for me if I did not allow any goal to go in.
This is a match between two Lagos teams and I know it would not be an easy encounter for both sides. So I will urge our fans to come out to enjoy a good game and cheer us to victory,” he told SportingLife.
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Lagos gets another bite through Ikorodu United, MFM
With anticipation building for the kick off of 2015/2016 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) this weekend, two newly promoted clubs from Lagos State Ikorodu United FC and MFM FC are prepared to pull their weight among the best clubs in the country.
Npfl.ng reports that Ikorodu United will have its first taste of Premier League football this season when they host Abia Warriors at Onikan Stadium on Sunday while MFM FC is away to Nasarawa United same day.
The clubs came from different backgrounds before gaining promotion to Nigeria’s elite league at the end of last season but they have brought back top league games and excitement to Lagos, the Center of Excellence, where football fanatics have missed premier league actions for over 22 years. Now the fans are chanting, ‘the League has come home’.
Ikorodu United FC, which was founded in December 2014 under the chairmanship of Adewunmi Ogunsanya, is among the few clubs that are privately-owned in Nigeria.
Belgian coach, Maurice Cooreman tutored Ikorodu United to secure promotion to the top flight after just a season in the Nigeria National League (NNL) but the tactician has since departed for Akwa United, leaving ex-international Edema Benson to carry on as Chief Coach.
In terms of playing staff, npfl.ng gathered that Ikorodu United management has confidently retained the bulk of the squad from last season including striker Francis Shedrack whose decisive goal in their last game against Ekiti United earned them a promotion ticket.
Youngsters such as defender Kabiru from 36 Lion FC, Ebiye who was signed from Bethel FC and the others offer further encouragement that the Ikorodu side seems well placed to survive in the Premier League.
Club boss Ogunsanya, while speaking on his club’s preparedness for the season, said Ikorodu United “is ready to surprise other participants of the professional football league”.
As part of plans to ensure the club performs well, the management has introduced some innovations to rebrand club football in the country. Already, GOtv Nigeria has joined as sponsor for the new season and the club is doing a lot in mechandizing and venue packaging as well.
“Top on our management’s plans is to woo back the Lagos spectators to come out and watch our games. We want to create an avenue where the stadium will be filled by 12 noon for a match scheduled for 4.00 pm.”
Coach Edema Benson is not the boastful type but the former international believes Ikorodu United will be a force to reckon with among the NPFL teams this season, considering their traditional style of keeping the ball, passing accuracy and scoring stunning goals.