These coaches have been around for quite sometime, as assistant coaches to top managers in the apex league, while other are managing smaller club sides in the NPFL.
Despite their achievements with little resources, the following three coaches are the most underrated football managers in Nigeria at the moment.
1. Fidelis Ilechukwu
Fidelis Ilechukwu, popularly known as the ‘Working One’ due to his workaholic ability, that has seen him succeed at various league levels in Nigeria, is one of the underrated coaches in Nigeria.
Ilechukwu’s rise from Nigerian Amateur League, to the NNL and NPFL with Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Football Club, speaks volume.
As a young coach, Ilechukwu promoted MFM FC to the top division in Nigeria, with a squad largely dominated by young players.
During his days as the manager of the modest NPFL team, he was able to sustain the Nigerian top league status, and qualified the team for CAF Champions League.
The Nnewi-born tactician, who joined Heartland FC of Owerri from MFM FC in 2019, stablized the Naze Millionaires, who always face relegation battle in the NPFL, but had to leave for Plateau United due to eight months unpaid salaries.
2. Fatai Osho
Fatai Osho came to the limelight with Remo Stars Sports Club of Ikene, Ogun State, with his tikki-takka brand of football which has endeared him, to many football lovers around the country.
Having promoted Remo Stars to the NPFL twice under three years, Osho made a dream move to sixth time League Champions, Enyimba International of Aba, where he made a huge statement with his style of play.
At Enyimba, Fatai played 66 games both in the Nigerian League and the CAF Champions, won 33, drew 17 and lost 17, as he finished the 2020/21 season with a CAF confederation cup slot. He was appointed as the chief coach of Rivers United, for the 2021/22 season.
3. Abubakar Bala Mohammed
Unknown to many people, Abubakar Bala has been in the coaching business far back as 1985 as Youth Football coach, with Kwangila Shooting Stars, an amateur team.
Before now, Bala had tutored about five clubs; Kwangila Shooting Stars, Flying Stars, FC Lokoja, Bida Lions and Zagbayi FC.
The Niger State born, joined Niger Tornadoes as an assistant coach in 2013 from FC Lokoja and became the Chief Coach of Tornadoes in 2014. In 2015, he was appointed as the Technical Adviser of the club.
The ex-Kwara United coach is the first ever indigenous manager to lead Tornadoes to two F.A Cup finals, in three years from 2017-2019. He has helped the Minna-based team, to gain promotion to Nigeria’s top league on two occasions with a podium finish.
Despite Bala’s remarkable achievement, over the years with Niger Tornadoes, many still do not rate him as one the best coaches in Nigeria.
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Olawale Quadry is a Mass Communication graduate, creative writer and pundit with eight years of experience and deep knowledge of Nigerian sports. He has previously written for SL10, South Africa, TribaI Football and Opera News. Follow him on Twitter @QualityQuadry
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