From the table toppers Rivers United to bottom-rocked Nasarawa United, Nigeria Premier Football League clubs are feeling the heat of the 2024/25 season and coaches are paying the prices already. After 13 matches, ABIODUN ADEWALE takes a look at the four managerial casualties so far this season.
Odigie will be missed, not only at Insurance
Known for his aggressive yet dramatic character on the touchline and in the mixed zone, Monday Odigie will be missed in the NPFL following his exit from Bendel Insurance before their match-day 13 game against Kwara United.
Odigie’s resignation was announced by the club hours before their clash, although it was said that he had walked away after their match-day 12 defeat to Rangers International in Enugu.
The former Golden Eaglets coach left his role following a poor run of form which saw them win just three out of their 12 games under him, drawing three and losing six. That form, coupled with a three-point deduction rooted them to the bottom of the table.
They say a coach is as good as his last game, but Odigie’s three-year reign in his second stint with the club will forever be cherished, after leading the Benin Arsenal to an unprecedented 21-game unbeaten run in the NPFL in 2023 before winning the Confederation Cup – their first title in 43 years – in the same season.
Again, Boboye leaves Sunshine Stars in the lurch
For the second time in his coaching career, two-time NPFL-winning coach Kennedy Boboye has resigned from Sunshine Stars.
His first was after an unsuccessful attempt at the league title in 2015 but this time around, it was quite the drama as the gaffer was embroiled in some war of words with the club’s management over his position.
The former Akwa United and Plateau United coach alleged that the chairman of the Ondo State Football Agency, Bamidele Ologunloluwa, was influencing players’ selection, a claim the chairman refuted vehemently.
Like Insurance, Sunshine Stars won their next game against Lobi Stars following the exit of Boboye as the club are still searching for a substantive replacement.
Agagbe might not be Lobi Stars’ problem after all
The man who turned the fortunes of Lobi Stars around last season, Eugene Agagbe, simply ‘doesn’t know how to do the job again’ as he was replaced by ex-international Daniel Amokachi following a string of poor results this season.
Agagbe was relieved of his duties in October after leading the club to their first victory of the season over Shooting Stars, but the win wasn’t enough to save his job as he won just one of the five-match ultimatum handed to him by the club.
Since the exit of Agagbe, Amokachi has beefed up his backroom with Finnish tactician Mika Lönnström, but the fate of the club hasn’t changed, winning just two of their last eight matches including three draws and three defeats.
Agagbe took over as Lobi Stars coach after Abubakar Bala stepped down before the start of last season and the Benue-born coach led them to a sixth-place finish.
All things ‘Bright’ and beautiful at Ikorodu City
Newly promoted side Ikorodu City were the first to experience a shake-up in the dugout when coach Bright Ozebagbe threw in the towel after failing to win any of the club’s first five matches in the Nigerian topflight.
Perhaps he couldn’t stand the heat, but he almost left himself stranded in the kitchen by resigning immediately after their 1-0 loss to Plateau United in Jos, making his means of transportation back to the southwest the talking point.
Indeed, all things have been bright and beautiful for Ikorodu City since his exit, as the club have gone ahead to win five of their last eight matches – consisting heavyweight wins against Rivers United and Shooting Stars at home plus Katsina United away from home – under interim coach Nurudeen Aweroro. Only Enyimba beat the new boys in Aba in that period while the two other games ended in draws.
It was a run that saw them move from the bottom of the table to seventh.
Save your jobs
While four coaches have stepped aside this season, there are others who need to save their faces with a good run of results in their next games.
At Nasarawa United, Kabiru Dogo is at risk of being axed if the Solid Miners fail to dig deep and end their run of four games without scoring despite having the league’s top scorer Anas Yusuf (who has also failed to score in four games) in their ranks. They are currently at the bottom of the table and host the battle-hardened Bendel Insurance on Wednesday (today).
Others include Akwa United’s Mohammed Babaganaru, Bayelsa United’s Ladan Bosso and 2016 title-winning coach Imama Amapakabo who is currently at Abia Warriors.
