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Tag: Kano Pillars

  • CAF Champions League: Kano Pillars vow to win in Congo

    CAF Champions League: Kano Pillars vow to win in Congo

    Nigerian champions, Kano Pillars have vowed to pick the maximum three points in their Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League tie tomorrow in Congo.

    Kano Pillars will face a tricky Champions League duel away at AS Vita tomorrow and the Masugida are aiming for an impressive result in Kinshasa.

    Last season, Kano Pillars were sent out of the CAF champions League in Congo after losing 0-3 to AC Leopards at the Dennie Sassou Stadium, Dolisie.

    But the new coach of the Masugida, Okey Emordi told supersport.com on Friday that his side had gathered enough impetus that would help them win tomorrow in Congo.

    “Kano people are still battling the rigours of what happened to Kano Pillars last season at AC Leopards and we would make sure that we smile this time around in Congo.

    “AS Vita are a good side, but they are not better than us and I’m confident that we would return to Nigeria with an impressive result,” Emordi said to supersport.com.

    Kano Pillars will be without Super Eagles’ midfielder, Abdullahi Shehu who did not get a visa to Congo, but the cheering news for Pillars fans is that Rabiu Ali and Umar Zango have rejoined the team after their exploits at this year’s CHAN held in South Africa.

    Striker Gambo Muhammad has also returned from injury which ruled him out of the CHAN and he is optimistic that Pillars would soar in Congo.

    “We are going to Congo to pick a win so as to make the return leg easier for us in Kano,” Gambo told supersport.com.

    Kano Pillars flew out of the country on Thursday night and will return immediately after the game tomorrow.

  • Pillars’ contingent arrives Kinshasa

    Pillars’ contingent arrives Kinshasa

    An 84-man contingent of Kano Pillars arrived Kinshasa Thursday night ahead of this weekend’s Champions League tie against AS Vita.

    The Nigeria champions will slug it out with Vita on Sunday in a Champions League preliminary round, first leg match with the return leg coming up a week later in Kano.

    “We have arrived safely in Kinshasa. The flight was for three hours and we arrived about 11.30pm, which is the same time with Nigeria,” Pillars spokesman Idris Malikawa informed MTNFootball.com

    “We were well received by officials of the Nigeria embassy in that country and plan to have our first training on Friday by 3.30pm, which will also be the kick-off time on Sunday.”

    On the 18-man Pillars squad are strikers Gambo Mohammed and Kabiru Umar as well as two CHAN Eagles stars Umar Zango and Rabiu Ali.

    Midfielder Shehu Abdullahi, who also featured at the CHAN, is missing because he did not get a visa to DR Congo.

     

  • Emordi declares: I can only work with serious players

    Emordi declares: I can only work with serious players

    • Resumes training with Pillars

    Kano Pillars Technical Adviser Okey Emordi has said he will only work with serious minded players who are ready to give their best to the club as he resumes duty with the league champions.

    The former Rangers FC coach stated this in his first training session with the players as the new club’s handler at the Sani Abacha Stadium on Sunday morning.

    The former CAF coach of the year was appointed by the club’s management on Friday to replace former coach Mohammed Baba Ganaru who left for Nasarawa United.

    Emordi commenced his duty after his unveiling by the Technical Committee chairman of the club, Prof Rabiu U Muh’d on Saturday.

    The club’s media officer, Idris Malikawa told SportingLife that Emordi has assured the club and the fans that he will justify the confidence reposed in him by the board.

    “Emordi stated clearly to the players at his official meeting with the players during the morning training session on Sunday (which is his first at the club) that he will work with any player that is ready to play. The atmosphere was very fantastic as the players were very happy to receive him,” Malikawa told SportingLife.

    Malikawa also revealed that the management is doing everything within its reach to ensure that the club better last season’s success.

    “Everything is working as planned now. There are no issues of technical adviser any more. What is expected of us now is for theplayers and technical crew to set the ball rolling and work for success.”

  • Emordi excited at landing Pillars job

    Emordi excited at landing Pillars job

    Okey Emordi has expressed great delight at landing the coaching job with Kano Pillars, saying he is looking forward to achieving greater success at the club.

    Emordi, who spoke to Goal, said he is aware of the great expectation from fans and the government of Kano and stated his preparedness for whatever challenges lie ahead.

    The man who led Enyimba to win the 2004 CAF Champions League assured that with the cooperation of his technical crew, players, supporters, management and the Kano state government the club will surpass its previous glories by winning the 2013/14 CAF Champions League.

    While admitting it is a huge honour to be assigned the responsibility to handle the side that won the Glo Nigeria Premier League title twice in a row, Emordi said that taking the job at Pillars will attract a lot of pressure but set his sight at helping the Pyramid Boys attain their first continental title.

    “Every assignment or task comes with its challenges this one is not an exception but I’m a bit lucky to be given the opportunity to handle the side,” Emordi told Goal.

    “I’m more or less in a familiar terrain at Kano. I have friends in Kano, even when I was the pioneer coach at El Kanemi (Warriors) in ’86 and spent three seasons, so going to Kano is a homecoming for me and I take the challenge with both hands.

    “I’m equal to the task and have what it takes to deliver the goods. The task is daunting, there is no doubt about it I pray everybody will put hands together to ensure we realise the dream of the side in the coming season,” he stated.

    Meanwhile, Emordi has explained his reasons for resigning his duties as coach at Enugu Rangers as due to lack of ambition to challenge for titles and personal resolution to seek rest from the game for an evaluation.

    “I left Rangers because they showed no intention to finish the league last season to contend for title and also decided to go on a recess to appraise myself before the Pillars job came by,” Emordi said.

    Pillars will open their CAF Champions League campaign against AS Vita of DR Congo.

     

  • Cash crunch hits Kano Pillars

    Cash crunch hits Kano Pillars

    Nigeria champions Kano Pillars has failed to pay salaries for the past two months because of cash crunch, MTNFootball.com reports.

    The club that will represent Nigeria in this year’s CAF Champions League is now going cap in hand for cash to prosecute the pre-season Super 4 tournament, which kicks off in Abuja on Friday.

    “Pillars don’t even have the cash for the Super 4 in Abuja. The club is now hoping to get some money after the Kano State Government executive council meeting on Wednesday,” a source informed MTNFootball.com

    “The players have been begged to show understanding with the promise that this money problem will soon be a thing of the past.”

    It is believed that a row involving the leadership of the club and a top government official is one of the reasons causing the Pillars poor finances.

    A marketing deal recently entered by Pillars in Dubai has been objected by some other interests.

    Pillars will next month face AS Vita of DR Congo in the preliminary of the CAF Champions League with the first leg in Kinshasa.

     

  • Pillars get Champions League committee

    Pillars get Champions League committee

    Champions Kano Pillars has named a CAF Champions League committee headed by chairman Abba Yola to ensure the club success in the competition.
    The other members of the committee are – Uba Danzainab, Sharu Rabi’u Inuwa Ahlan, Rabi’u Muhammad, Shehu Abdullahi and Abba Galadima with Zakari Akilu Bichi as secretary.
    Abba Yola said the committee was set up to come out with modalities and strategies that would assist the club to do well in the championship considering the time constraints ahead of them.
    MTNFootball.com reports that the club takes on AS Vita of DR Congo in a preliminary round of the Champions League next month.
    Meanwhile, the club has directed the chief coach Abdu Maikaba to continue handling the team pending the appointment of a new head coach.

  • Bosso targets Super Four tournament

    Bosso targets Super Four tournament

    Bayelsa United coach, Ladan Bosso has described as not a-must-win the annual Super Four tournament due to kick off on January 24 in Abuja.

    The football showpiece is meant to prepare the nation’s flag bearers on the continent namely Kano Pillars, Enyimba, Bayelsa United and Warri Wolves for their various competitions this year.

    Kano Pillars and Enyimba will campaign in the CAF Champions League while the duo of Bayelsa United and Warri Wolves will take part in the CAF Confederation Cup.

    Bosso said the tournament is not a must win but an opportunity for his team to demonstrate its preparedness to represent the country proudly at the African cadre.

    “The Super Four tournament is a demonstration of good intention by the League Management Company (LMC) to keep in perfect shape the continental teams.

    “Bayelsa United won’t see the tournament as a-must-win but as an occasion to showcase our ability to represent Nigeria well on the continent.

    “We’ll at the weekend head to Kaduna to participate in the pre-season football competition involving the likes of Kaduna United, Enyimba, Rangers, Gombe United, Nasarawa United, among others.

    “The pre-season event will be good for us and will put us in good shape and frame of mind for the Super Four as we intend to head straight to Abuja from Kaduna for the clash.

    “We sacrificed our New Year holidays in camp to continue our intense build-up for the new season,” said the former Kano Pillars coach to supersport.com.

     

  • Pillars fans demand for new

    Pillars fans demand for new

    • Commend Kwankwaso

    Kano Pillars fans have expressed worry over the club’s inability to appoint a new Technical Adviser for the team ahead of the coming season.

    Pillars’ Technical Adviser position remains vacant following the exit of the former handler, Mohammed Baba Ganaru who joined Nasarawa United.

    Already, the club’s management have interviewed two coaches to fill the vacant position.

    In a Communique issued at the end of their meeting holding at its Secretariat in Kano Pillars Stadium, S/Gari Kano, through the public relations officer, Aminu Prince, the fans believe the delay in naming the new coach could affect the team’s preparations for the 2014 campaign.

    The communiqué read in part: “Tested and reliable coaches were interviewed to fill the vacant position of the Technical Adviser of the club about two weeks ago, but the result of the interview is yet to be released. Some premier clubs who are only to participate in the premier league competition have concluded recruitment of coaches and players and are already engaging in the friendly matches, but ours is different. In view of the above, we are appealing to the authories to appoint the Technical Adviser of the team before Wednesday 25/12/2013 in order to prepare our team on time.”

    The Fan also Commanded His Excellency Engr. Dr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso for the support and financial backing to the team: “We appeal to the Governor to release more funds to the club in order to have good preparations for the CAF champions League and Nigerian Premier League competition respectively.”

    The fans also urged the club management to implement the report of the technical crew submitted to it “The Technical crew of the team submitted the list of the tested players to be invited to fortify the team and the list of 12 players to be placed on transfer market. The fans also commended on the Technical Crew for the good work and advise the club authorities to implement the report in totalityso as to be fair to all concerned.

    “The management and entire fans of the club are always ready to cooperate with all stockholders in the state for the successful commencement of both CAF championship and Nigerian Premier League competitions.”

  • Kano Pillars undecided on Emordi, Ikhana

    Kano Pillars undecided on Emordi, Ikhana

    Nigerian champions, Kano Pillars are undecided on which of the duo of Kadiri Ikhana and Okey Emordi to lead their team for the 2013/14 Glo Premier League season.

    Already the Pyramid City side have contracted three undisclosed Italians to work with the yet to be named coach.

    The duo have been shortlisted for the plum job but the Pillars management is yet to agree on whom to hand over the mantle of leadership.

    An official of Kano Pillars, Idris Malikawa said the board is still assessing the two coaches and will very soon name one of them to lead the side in their Africa and domestic league campaigns.

    “The government has mandated the board to go ahead and name a coach for the side. The board’s searchlight has been narrowed down to Kadiri Ikhana and Okey Emordi. They have been interviewed by the technical committee specially set up for the purpose.

    “The board is still assessing the two coaches and once they are satisfied one of them will be named the head coach to work with the Italians already contracted. The board is mindful of the expectations of Nigerians and is asking for their patience and prayer too to assist the board to do what is right.

    “Kano Pillars want to go to the continent to contest for the title not to make up the numbers and that’s why we’re taking time to ensure we give Nigerians the best representation by naming the best coach for the side,” Malikawa said to supersport.com.

    Malikawa said the side will approach the test game against the domestic Super Eagles on Monday in Abuja like they will against the CAF Champions League opponents, AS Vita of DR Congo.

    “We want to take the friendly tie against the domestic Eagles on Monday as seriously as we would approach the first game against the DR Congo side, AS Vita in the CAF Champions League tie.

    “Victory is on our minds, nothing short of outright victory will be acceptable to us. The technical crew has recalled selected players from the break for the crucial encounter, that’s to tell you we’re not taking the test game lightly.

    “It’s a must win game for us and opportunity for us to test our players as well as let Nigerians into what we’ve in stock for them in the coming season,” Malikawa said.

    The build-up clash will be the Eagles’ last practice game before they head off to South Africa for the third African Nations Championship (CHAN) where they are pitched in Group A with the hosts, South Africa, Mali and Mozambique.

  • Pillars want to win CAF Champions League — Zango

    Kano Pillars attacking midfielder Umar Zango has boasted that the ambition of the pyramid boys in next year’s Africa Champions League is to win the trophy.

    According to the enterprising player, who is among thé 30 home based players currently in camp in preparation for CHAN tournament holding in South Africa early next month, the Kano based outfit now have the needed experience to play in thé continent ‘we had what you would call the baptism of fire last year.

    Now that we are at the continent again, we are poised to winning the trophy this time around. We have learnt our lessons, and God willing we would do Nigerians proud,’’ he concluded.

    He also advised Nigerians not to write the home-based Eagles off in the forthcoming CHAN tournament, saying they have all it takes to pull a surprise at the tournament meant for only players in the domestic league.