Thursdays are for Throwbacks.<\/p>\n
A trip down memory lane offers a chance to reflect, compare eras, and take note of how times have changed, the progress made, or the lack of it.<\/p>\n
\u201cNews is the first rough draft of history.\u201d The line, popularised by Phil Graham, publisher of the Washington Post in the 1960s, captures the close relationship between journalism and history. Journalists write from the front lines of an event, capturing raw emotion, early facts and immediate reactions. Historians writing decades later use these first drafts as primary sources, refining them with hindsight and deeper context.<\/p>\n
So today\u2019s news reports become the historical record of tomorrow. That was my experience recently when I reread a 2007 football magazine. What really caught my interest was its detailed preview of the 2007 league season, featuring all 20 top-flight clubs and their coaches. Interestingly, the men who shaped the technical direction of the league back then, much like today\u2019s coaches, moved from club to club, sharing their knowledge and gaining experience along the way.<\/p>\n
Twenty children, they say, cannot play together for twenty years. The 20 coaches of that era have since gone their separate ways after making valuable contributions to the growth of Nigerian league football. Some have passed away. Others have retired and are tending to old age and the ailments that come with it. The younger ones from that era are either out of work or have moved into administration.<\/p>\n
The Twenty From Twenty Years Ago<\/p>\n
Maurice Cooreman (Enyimba FC)
\nJamil Nasir (Gombe United)
\nLadan Bosso (Wikki Tourists)
\nOkey Emordi (Enugu Rangers)
\nSamson Siasia (Ocean Boys)
\nJustin Tenger (Kano Pillars)
\nBen Duamlong (Heartland)
\nGodfrey Esu (Kaduna United)
\nShola Popo (Adamawa United)
\nRoger Palmgren (Kwara United)
\nSamson Unuanel (Prime FC)
\nIfeanyi Onyedika (Dolphins)
\nKafaru Alabi (El-Kanemi Warriors)
\nJossy Dombraye (Bayelsa United)
\nSolomon Ogbeide (Bendel Insurance)
\nZachary Baraje (Nasarawa United)
\nEmmanuel Orkaar (Lobi Stars)
\nAbdulrafiu Yusuf (Zamfara United)
\nCharles Bassey (Akwa United)
\nJohn Obuh (Niger Tornadoes)<\/p>\n
May God rest the souls of Cooreman, Tenger, Alabi, Ogbeide and Bassey.<\/p>\n
Some of the men in today\u2019s dugouts were around back then, either as assistant coaches or as players. Shooting Stars\u2019 Salisu Yusuf teamed up with Kadiri Ikhana at Kano Pillars to lead the Sai Masu Gida to the title in 2008. Abia Warriors\u2019 Imama Amakpakabo assisted the legendary Shaibu Amodu at Sharks in the mid-2000s before taking a similar role at Enyimba. Plateau United\u2019s Gbenga Ogunbote assisted David Egbiri at Gateway FC during the club\u2019s top-flight debut in 2005. And Enyimba\u2019s own Emmanuel Deutsch was part of Duamlong\u2019s backroom staff at Heartland before joining Akwa United as Bassey\u2019s assistant, later succeeding him.<\/p>\n
Others were still playing. Rivers United\u2019s Finidi George brought the curtain down on his illustrious European career in 2005, a journey that began in Port Harcourt with Sharks FC. Bendel Insurance\u2019s Kennedy Boboye returned to Sharks to wrap up his career after productive years abroad, playing under Amodu in 2005. Nasarawa United\u2019s Mbwas Mangut also returned to the domestic league, leaving his Colombian club for Heartland in 2004 to stay fit ahead of another move abroad. Instead, he stayed longer, joining Enyimba for the 2006 season before returning to Heartland a year later.<\/p>\n
The rest of today\u2019s 20 top-flight coaches were at various stages of their careers back then. After two decades of football education, honing their skills and craft, the technical development of the NPFL now rests largely on their shoulders:<\/p>\n
The Twenty of Today<\/p>\n
Fidelis Ilechukwu (Enugu Rangers)
\nFinidi George (Rivers United)
\nSalisu Yusuf (Shooting Stars)
\nBright Ozabegbe (Ikorodu City)
\nKennedy Boboye (Bendel Insurance)
\nMbwas Mangut (Nasarawa United)
\nImama Amakpakabo (Abia Warriors)
\nEugene Agagbe (Barau FC)
\nAudu Azeez Mohammed (Katsina United)
\nGbenga Ogunbote (Plateau United)
\nSuleiman Ashifat (Kwara United)
\nEmmanuel Deutsch (Enyimba FC)
\nObinna Uzoho (Kun Khalifat)
\nHassan Abdallah (Warri Wolves)
\nKabiru Dogo (Niger Tornadoes)
\nDaniel Ogunmodede (Kano Pillars)
\nJeffery Buter (Sporting Lagos)
\nAyodeji Ayeni (Doma United)
\nOlusanjo Olutayo (Inter Lagos)
\nMajin Mohammed (Ranchers Bees)<\/p>\n
Newly promoted Inter Lagos and Ranchers Bees, currently the bottom two, have already parted ways with their original coaches, Shakiru Biodun Giwa and Usman Abdallah. Olutayo and Mohammed have stepped in.<\/p>\n
It falls to these coaches to raise the technical quality of the league: improving the players in their care and bringing in innovative training methods, technology, data analytics and proper nutrition, all to build a more competitive league. One that can produce a champion worthy of the African crown again. Of course, the problems holding the league back go well beyond technical issues. But are we ready to hear that?<\/p>\n
We extend our support to the Nigerian clubs travelling for the decisive second legs of the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup this weekend. Keep the flag flying.<\/p>\n
As for Enyimba, we are neither here nor there. We are not on the continent, and our league form doesn\u2019t yet suggest a return there. Sunday\u2019s trip to Lafia to face Nasarawa United should give a clearer picture of where we really stand. We picked up a point there last season. I hope we do better this time.<\/p>\n
Enyimba Enyi!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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