The Nation Newspaper

Tag: OBUH

  • Obuh to be named Kwara Utd boss next week

    Obuh to be named Kwara Utd boss next week

    Kwara United are almost sure to return former coach of the side, John Obuh for another stint with the Harmony Warriors ahead of their sojourn in the Nigeria National League(NNL) immediately the state government confirms his appointment.

    The Ilorin side were demoted to the lower league after only a season in the top flight and Kwara United have called back Obuh who was their saviour in 2009 when the club returned to the premier league after relegation to the lower league the previous year.

    Obuh worked under Prince Oladimeji Thompson who was the club chairman in 2009 after the former occupant was displaced after the relegation of 2008 and the fusion of the former Flying Eagles’ boss and Prince Thompson fetched a speedy return to the top flight.

    A top source from Ilorin told SportingLife that Obuh would take over the reins next week and that the identities of those that would be working with the new Kwara United chairman, Prince Thompson would also be made public at the same time.

    Kwara United and the good people of the state would also be expecting similar turn of event when Obuh is confirmed as coach this term.

  • Obuh wants win against Dolphins

    Obuh wants win against Dolphins

    FC IfeanyiUbah head coach, John Obuh has charged his players to go all out when they face Dolphins on Sunday in a Glo Premier League Week 32 tie in Port Harcourt.

    Obuh, a former coach of the Flying Eagles reckons that for Giwa FC to come to Nnewi to pick a point, his players too have the wherewithal to pick all the available points against the Pride of Rivers.

    He told SportingLife that he would hope to have a very good officiating like the ones they have had in Nnewi that has made them to win, draw and even lose at home when they tackle Dolphins on Sunday.

    Obuh revealed that with seven matches to the end of the season, everyone in the team is doing everything possible to ensure that FC IfeanyiUbah end the season in a good position.

    “We are hoping that we are going to have good officiating too and that just like the way they came to Nnewi to pick points we can also go out to pick points too without any problem,” Obuh told SportingLife.

    FC IfeanyiUbah are 11th on the log with 43 points from 31 matches.

  • Security men save Obuh, Nwankwo Kujah from Oba fans

    Security men save Obuh, Nwankwo Kujah from Oba fans

    Reports monitored on a local radio station in Anambra State informed SportingLife that FC Ifeanyi Ubah’s head coach, John Obuh and Friday Nwankwo Kujah, an official of the club had to be smuggled into the dressing room after they were whisked away by security operatives from the hands of overzealous fans and home supporters.

    Obuh couldn’t inspire his boys as they let go their lead to lose to Kwara United 2-1 at the Rojenny Stadium, Oba near Onitsha on Wednesday and this angered the fans that trooped out to support the home team as they fended their frustration on Obuh and Nwankwo Kujah who they labelled as the problem of the club.

    Fans who took turns to hold their view on the radio station called for the sack of Obuh and his technical crew while asking the management of FC IfeanyiUbah to reinstate the suspended Bulgarian, Mitko Dobrev and his assistants.

    They alleged that Obuh had a hand in the fall of Rangers when he was in search of the club last season while they also alleged that Friday Nwankwo Kujah has also committed series of atrocities that are inimical to the growth of FC IfeanyiUbah if they are allowed to remain in the club.

    The Anambra Warriors remained sixth on the log with 27 points from 18 matches and are yet to get to the spot the owner of the club put as the minimum target at the end of the season.

  • Ifeanyi Ubah FC ‘ll not underrate opponents-Obuh

    Ifeanyi Ubah FC ‘ll not underrate opponents-Obuh

    Coach John Obuh of Ifeanyi Ubah FC of Nnewi on Tuesday said they would not underrate Kwara United of Ilorin, when they meet at the Rojenny Stadium, Oba, near Onitsha, on Wednesday in the Glo Premier League match

    Obuh told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka that the team was on a recovery path, and could not afford to underrate any team.

    He said the team had lost some vital points in their previous games and was working ceaselessly to ensure they guarded against a further slip.

    Obuh said they were strictly following their training schedule, to perfect the team’s strategies of ensuring victory, noting that the home match was crucial to them, to get the maximum points.

    “Anyone who underrates any team in the premier league does so at its own risk. For us, the match is important, and we are working to perfect our game.

    “We even had to train in the rain because we want to get the best out of the match against United.

    “We just have to maintain a clean sheet in that match, get the three maximum points and have our eyes at the top; we suffered temporary setback,” he said.

    The team’s Captain, Chibuzor Okonkwo, said the spirit in camp was high and nothing short of victory would be satisfactory.

    Okonkwo agreed with his coach that the match against Kwara United was as serious as all other ones in the league.

    The skipper assured the club’s teeming supporters of victory; urging them to come out en masse and cheer them to victory.

    “Kwara is a great side; though they are not at their best at the moment, we cannot underrate them because they too want to move up the ladder,” Obuh said.

  • Obuh takes over Ifeanyi Ubah FC

    Obuh takes over Ifeanyi Ubah FC

    Former Flying Eagles coach John Obuh has been announced as the new head coach of Nigeria Premier League side Ifeanyi Ubah FC and he will be assisted by the German Jurgen Presse.

    Both men worked together at the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey, where Nigeria reached the knockout rounds.

    Obuh has taken over the Nnewi club from Bulgarian Mitko Dobrev. He has been without a club since he parted ways with Enugu Rangers last season.

    A source informed AfricanFootball.com that Obuh’s appointment was announced to the players by the club proprietor himself, Ifeanyi Ubah.

    As first reported by AfricanFootball.com, the future of Bulgarian coach Dobrev was up in the air despite guiding the club to the top bracket of the Nigeria league.

    The home loss to Wikki Tourists on Sunday is believed to have been the final straw that broke the camel’s back.

    Expectations were high they would beat the Bauchi club to climb to the top of the league, but with the club owner watching from the stands after promising a hefty 500,000 Naira-per-goal, “the new Chelsea” of Nigerian football crashed in front of their home fans.

  • WYC: Burden of expectations on Flying Eagles – Obuh

    WYC: Burden of expectations on Flying Eagles – Obuh

    Former Flying Eagles coach, John Obuh, has said expectations for the Flying Eagles to have a good outing at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand are very high judging by the calibre of talent in the side and their antecedents.

    Manu Garba’s boys remain unbeaten since the team transitioned from being World’s U-17 champions and will face Brazil, Hungary, and North Korea in Group E of the championship billed to commence on May 30, Goal reports.

    Obuh, who led Nigeria the Flying Eagles to Colombia 2011 and Turkey 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cups, told Goal that the current set has quality players and should go for gold.

    “I’m sure the players know the magnitude of the tournament and judging from what they have been doing at the U-17 level down to the African Youth Championship, they are expected to do well,” Obuh told Goal.

    “The team has players that have been together for a while and can win, so Nigerians are expecting the team to come out flying when the championship begins.”

    He also claimed that the wild card given to Europe-based trio of Kelechi Iheanacho, Isaac Success and Moses Simon in the 21-man final squad will not have a negative impact on the team.

    “I don’t see that affecting the team because they are doing well for their respective teams. Remember they were part of the team to the U-17 World Cup and aside from this, their coaches have a strong faith in them,” he continued.

    “The most important thing is that they join the team on time, blend and complement their other colleagues’ efforts. With this, there won’t be any problem,” he concluded.

    .

  • I am not Gabros coach, Obuh declares

    I am not Gabros coach, Obuh declares

    Contrary to wide spread reports that John Obuh has been appointed by Gabros to supervise their premier league assault this season – the former Rangers International of Enugu gaffer has distanced  himself from the claims.

    The 55-year old, who led Rangers to an eighth place finish last season, has close affiliations with Gabros which have now resulted in the speculations that he is part of the technical crew currently led by Bulgarian Mitko Dobrew.

    Speaking exclusively to SportingLife, Obuh revealed that he was never appointed by the club or part of the day-to-day running of the team but is available in advisory capacity as the club chase a continental ticket this season.

    “I am not part of the day -to – day running of  Gabros. Let me say it clearly that I am only to advise the club in my capacity and I am not part of the club’s technical crew and I am not going to sit on the bench during matches, he said.”

    The former Golden Eaglets gaffer then highlighted his relationship with the owner o the club whom he shares mutual respect with.

    ‘The owner of the club is a friend and always wants me to add my input to the club which I am always available to do,’ he added.

    Gabros have lost only one of their last five matches with three wins and a draw and currently placed second on the premier league log with 13 points after seven matches so far this season.

  • Obuh sympathises with Eaglets

    Obuh sympathises with Eaglets

    Former Golden Eaglets coach John Obuh has  sympathised with the Nigeria U-17 team, after they lost 1-3 to Guinea’s U-17 team to finish fourth at the just ended CAF U-17 championship in Niger.

    The Nigerians had been tipped to win the tournament, but failed at the semi-final stage after they were stunned 1-0 by the Amajimbos of South Africa, and any hopes of a medal finish was dashed as the Syli Babes cruised to a 3-1 win over their more illustrious Nigerian opponents.

    And Obuh, who led the Nigerian U-17s to a second place finish at the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup, says he understands how the team must have felt after going into the competition with so many expectations.

    “I understand how they must have felt,” Obuh began. “They went in there with so much expectation and pressure and, unfortunately, it didn’t work out well. They are young boys and most times when the pressure is too much it gets to them, which is what I think happened,” he told sl10.ng.

    Despite their failure to finish in the top three of the competition, the Eaglets, however, booked a place at the next FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile, and it is expected that the team will be overhauled in time for the competition.

  • Obuh: League has not encouraged players to stay

    Former Enugu Rangers coach, John Obuh has joined those criticising the exodus of players that has hit the Nigerian league, with several top players already securing contracts outside of Nigeria.

    Obuh, also a former Kwara United coach, blames the Nigerian league for the exodus, saying the league has not helped to encourage the players to stay behind.

    “The domestic league has caused it to be like this because there are no contracts that they cause these players to play for two to three seasons in the league,” Obuh began.

    “If we had a better system, most of these players would stay back and that would make the league better,” Obuh told sl10.ng.

    But despite his damning verdict on the organisation of the league, the former Flying Eagles coach also criticises the players for always being in a hurry to leave, and not staying behind to prove themselves, thereby ending up in obscurity.

    “The likes of Emem Eduok have been playing in the league but you probably had not heard about them until last season. So, now that they are in the spotlight because they did well, why won’t they stay behind and prove themselves again? And at that point, better clubs will come for them.

    “They can be signed by English clubs, but they have to stay back and prove themselves, they have to repeat it and show again that they can do it,” he added.

  • Obuh in talks with Akwa Utd

    Akwa United have opened talks with former Flying Eagles coach John Obuh over leading the club next season.

    Obuh last week parted ways with former club Enugu Rangers after the Flying Antelopes announced Kelechi Emetole as their new coach.

    Obuh is expected to replace sacked Patrick Udoh at Akwa United, who survived the drop on the last day of the season.

    “Obuh is discussing with Akwa United who have indicated interest in having him tutor the team next season,” a confidant of the former Sharks of Port Harcourt coach revealed to AfricanFootball.com.

    Obuh has worked with Kano Pillars, Wikki Tourists, Sharks, Kwara United and Niger Tornadoes.