The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Kano Pillars

  • Pillars consider Siasia, foreign coach

    Pillars consider Siasia, foreign coach

    The management of Nigeria champions, Kano Pillars, is considering hiring ex-Eagles coach Samson Siasia or a foreign coach to take over the team.

    This month, Pillars successfully retained the Nigeria league after finishing top of the 20-team table with 63 points from 38 matches.

    Pillars chairman Abba Yola told MTNFootball.com: “We have plans to beef up the technical bench of the team and even the playing staff.

    “We are not sacking any of the coaches, but we want to bring more experience to the bench.

    “I have already opened discussions with my friends in Europe, Asia and United Arab Emirates to get good hands because we want to make sure we make an impact in the CAF Champions League next year.”

    Yola added,” We will also look within if we could not find a good and free coach.

    “Yes, Samson Siasia is a friend of the house and we are considering him, but that would depend on whether he is available or not because he has the experience and an addition like him to our bench would not be a bad one.”

    Incidentally, Siaisia handled Heartland in the group stage of the 2010 CAF Champions League.

    In 2009, the Pillars team handled by Slovenian Ivo Shaj reached the semi-finals of the competition. The team lost to eventual runners-up Heartland 5-0 over two legs.

     

  • Club Owners, Managers sack LMC

    Club Owners, Managers sack LMC

    • Call for board elections
    • Congratulate Kano Pillars

    Globacom Premier League club owners have sacked the Nnduka Irabor-led board of League Management Company (LMC).

    This was contained in a communique sent to SportingLife by the secretary of the Club Owners’ Association, Alloy Chukwuemeka, after the Club Chairmen and Managers’ meeting where they reviewed the just-concluded 2012/2013 Glo Premier League season in Abuja on Tuesday night.

    According to the release, the association rated the 2012/2013 season as average, after they identified some flaws in certain areas like officiating, insecurity at match venues, crowd violence as well as some administrative inconsistencies.

    The meeting then emphasised the expiration of the tenure of the Irabor-led LMC in line with the terms of reference given to them by the NFF.

    The meeting re-echoed the need for the immediate organisation of an election to usher in a substantive league board in line with relevant statutes governing football globally as stipulated in FIFA standard electoral codes, and as affirmed by the NFF in their letter to FIFA.

    In order to avoid a vacuum, the outgoing LMC are to hand over to the secretariat of the league, who are to liaise with the present club owners’ executive pending the election of a substantive board.

    Meanwhile, the entire club owners congratulated Kano Pillars for winning the league back-to-back as successive champions, just as it welcomed the four newly promoted teams to the fold.

    However, the meeting also directed the outgoing LMC to liaise with the board of Kano Pillars FC to ensure quick presentation of the league champion trophy.

  • Kwara Utd axe Unuanel

    Kwara Utd axe Unuanel

    Kwara United have sacked their head coach, Samson Unuanel seven days after the Afonja Warriors lost their top flight status, supersport.com can report.

    United were relegated on the last day of the 2012/13 NPFL season in Lokoja after they were forced to a 1-1 draw by visiting Akwa United.

    Unuanel, who last season replaced former gaffer, Tunde Sanni was given the mandate of getting United a continental ticket, but sadly the Warriors ended the season disastrously.

    Interestingly, Kwara United were the only side that won three away games at the just-concluded season.

    Even champions, Kano Pillars, who won the league diadem, were only able to win an away game throughout the season.

    But Kwara United’s calamity began in their match against Warri Wolves in which some aggrieved fans beat up one of the assistant referees, CID Durunna.

    United lost the three points and three goals for that match and it contributed to their downfall.

    Kwara United chairman, Bamidele Aluko confirmed to supersport.com on Sunday night that Unuanel has been relieved of his duty with immediate effect.

    “We had a year contract with all the technical crew and all our staff and it has been terminated after the season, but there is still a chance for them to re-apply.

    “It is unfortunate that we have been relegated, but we will get back to where we belong which is the premier League,” Aluko said sadly.

    Supersport.com, however, gathered that coach Sanni who steered the club to sixth on the final standings two seasons ago could return to the Afonja Warriors.

  • Kano Pillars’ official wants CAF glory

    Kano Pillars’ official wants CAF glory

    Kano State Sports official Shuaibu Gara Gombe would like to see Kano Pillars go all the way in the CAF Champions League next year.

    Masu Gida successfully defended their Nigerian Premier League (NPL) title, after collecting 63 points in 38 matches played, one point ahead of their nearest challengers, Enyimba.

    Gombe says the state will do all it can to support the back-to-back champions and give governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso the honour to lift the CAF trophy.

    “So many things went wrong when we lost out in the CAF Champions League the last time, and this time, I can tell you that we will do all we can to get it right,” the Kano State official said.

    “Now that we have won the league, the job will now start. My own desire is for Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to lift the Champions League; and I want him to set the record as the first governor from the northern part of the country to lift the Champions League trophy, and this is the time because after this I cannot guarantee it.”

    He added: “Presently we have everything, the political will is there, the resources are there, the team is there, the antecedents of performance are there, the only thing we need is to put our house in order, make some corrections and adjustments where we need. We have to reinforce the team, get the best hands from the head to the last man to go into this campaign.

    “We must reorganise the team properly and put everything in place, and Insha Allah, we will get there. Kano Pillars will become the first team from the North to win the CAF Champions League title, and I want Governor Musa Kwankwaso to lift the trophy for the first time for northern Nigeria.”

  • Pillars set for Nov. 1 return

    Pillars set for Nov. 1 return

    Champions Kano Pillars will resume training ahead of the pre-season tournament, the Super 4, on November 1.

    “We had planned to resume training this week for the Super 4, but after the shift of the tournament we have now told the players to take more rest and resume training on November 1,” informed Pillars spokesman Idris Malikawa.

    The Super 4 may likely now be played from November 8 with the top four teams from the regular season, namely Pillars, Enyimba, Bayelsa United and El Kanemi Warriors, in attendance.

    In other club news, striker Gambo Mohammed is nursing a back injury, but he could recover in time for the Super 4.

    Gambo sustained the knock in Pillars’ last league game of the season at Lobi Stars.

  • Pillars thanks State Govt

    Pillars thanks State Govt

    Kano Pillars head coach Baba Ganaru has praised the effort of the Kano State government, following their successful defence of the Nigeria Premier League title.

    Pillars managed to thwart off a challenge from giants Enyimba, to lift their third Glo Premier League (Glo) trophy.

    Ganaru said that the Kano State office played a key supporting role throughout the campaign.

    “We motivated ourselves by our determination to retain the title. But, most importantly, the Kano State Government encouraged us,” he said.

    “The government provided us with all we needed.The support has been massive and we thank God for such a great administration.”

    The club, known as Masu Gida to its fans, will contest next season’s CAF Champions League.

  • Glo congratulates Kano Pillars

    Glo congratulates Kano Pillars

    • Hails LMC for good organisation

    Leading telecommunications company and sponsor of the Nigerian Premier League, Globacom, has congratulated Kano Pillars Football Club for emerging the winners of the 2012/2013 Glo Premier League which was concluded last weekend.

    Globacom, in a press statement released in Lagos on Wednesday, gave kudos to the Kano-based team for winning the Premier League back-to-back, having previously emerged the league champions during the 2011/2012 season.

    The company called on the management of the team to start preparation in earnest for the CAF Champions League in order to perform brilliantly during the continental championship.

    Globacom also praised the League Management Company (LMC) for a wonderful job at organising the just concluded season.

    “The outgoing season has been unprecedented in recent years, especially as matters arising from league matches as well as players’ welfare have been treated with dispatch. We wish to congratulate the LMC on its resolve to place Nigerian football on the pedestal it rightly belongs”, Globacom said.

    “We also wish to congratulate the players, club officials, match officials and fans for their collective effort which has helped ensure that the season witnessed very few hitches, if at all. We cannot also forget to commend the Nigeria Football Federation for creating the enabling environment to make the league flourish”, the statement added.

    The telecommunications company also praised the 20 club sides that participated in the league for exhibiting the sportsmanship that has characterised their matches throughout the last season.

    “This is the time to consolidate on the success achieved this past season. And we look forward to stakeholders assessing the season with regard to the successes achieved and with a view to improving on the achievements next season”, Globacom added.

    Globacom also congratulated Enyinmba FC of Aba and Bayelsa United for coming second and third respectively in the League.

    “We look forward to seeing both clubs do Nigeria proud in the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cups respectively”, Glo concluded.

    Globacom is the title sponsor of the Globacom Premier League and the official telecommunications sponsor of Nigeria’s national teams.

  • ABBA YOLA SCREAMS: Pillars to blame if they are not champions again

    ABBA YOLA SCREAMS: Pillars to blame if they are not champions again

    Chairman of Kano Pillars Abba Yola has said they would have only themselves to blame if they fail to retain the Nigeria league title.

    Kano Pillars have put the title out of the reach of six-time champions Enyimba after the Aba side lost 2-0 to Sunshine Stars with Pillars beating Dolphins 1-0 in Lokoja on Wednesday.

    The Kano side now have Bayelsa United and El Kanemi Warriors, who are second and third on the league table to contend with on the final day of the season on Sunday.

    All three teams would be playing away from home on the final day of the season with Pillars needing only a draw to win their third title.

    Pillars, on 63 points, are away to Lobi Stars, 61-points Bayelsa will do battle at Gombe, while El Kanemi, who have 60 points, are away at Enugu Rangers

    “We will have ourselves to blame if we failed to lift the title. We have worked very hard this season and the boys are determined to cap it with the title, so in sha Allah we will be able to post a favourable result that would see us win the league back-to-back,” Abba Yola told MTNFootball.com.

     

  • Pillars still hopeful after Gombe defeat

    Pillars still hopeful after Gombe defeat

    Kano Pillars Coach, Baba Ganaru has said Saturday’s 2 – 1 defeat to Gombe United is a setback to the race for the title but expressed optimism that his team will still win the league despite the loss.

    He, however, called on fans and supporters to keep on praying for them to enable them accomplish the task that has been further jeopardised by the loss.

    “We played better in the second half and created more chances but my boys could not convert them all, but Gombe converted theirs and won the game,” said the coach while ruing the loss.

    On his part,Gombe United coach,Maurice Cooreman attributed his team’s victory over the defending champions to hardwork and commitment.

    “The result is the benefit of hard work and commitment. We trained hard during the week because we know Pillars are a big side,” said Cooreman.

    He expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance because they played according to his instruction.

    He fired a warning to Wikki Tourists that Gombe would be in Bauchi on Wednesday to compound their woes by scooping the maximum three points at stake.

    He said: “I know Wikki is struggling against relegation and will therefore put in their best. But we are going there to win.”

  • Pillars’success secret is good management — Maikaba

    Pillars’success secret is good management — Maikaba

    Kano Pillars coach Abdul Maikaba has said his side captalised on Enyimba FC’s weaknesses to achieve their 1-0 victory in a rescheduled Glo Premier League game at the Confluence Stadium, Lokoja, on Tuesday.

    Mannir Ubale came off the bench to score a 90th minute goal to give Pillars a hard fought lone goal victory that effectively shot the club back to the summit of the league table.

    Maikaba in an interview said their game tactics worked against Enyimba.

    “We thanked God for wining the game against Enyimba because the match was very important to our aspiration. We mapped out tactics well against Enyimba and it worked for us,” Maikaba said.

    “We knew that we have an advantage in having Gambo Mohammed and Kabiru Umar up front which we believed they were too strong for Enyimba’s defenders to stop. So we used that style to our advantage from long ball and throwing and after so many missed chances by our boys the goal finally came.

    We used their weaknesses to achieve our results.”

    The former Enyimba coach also attributed Kano Pillars’ success in recent years to the club’s good management.

    “I want other clubs to borrow a leaf from our club’s management in a good manner they are handling the team. Our management took players and coaches’ welfare as their top priority. At the moment, the club is not owing us. The salaries and match bonuses have been paid up to date. The coaches’ sign on fees have been paid 100% while players have received 80% sign on fees. Apart from that, we also received some unannounced bonuses as a motivation to the team. I believe the motivations are the Kano Pillars secret success in the recent years. The management are paying us as and when due.”