Kano Pillars sacks technical crew, Maikaba favoured to take over

The Evans Ogenyi-led technical crew at Kano Pillars has been dissolved. The decision was officially announced in a statement issued by the club’s spokesperson, Rilwanu Idris Malikawa.

Malikawa explained the move comes from the expiration of the technical crew’s contractual agreement with the club after the 2023 Nigeria National League season.

He clarified that the contractual agreement with the technical crew was valid for a single season, which ended with the culmination of the 2023 Nigeria National League’s Super 8 in Asaba, Delta State.

Sai masu gida, as Pillars are fondly called, finished in second position among the competing clubs and secured promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League just one year after they were relegated.

Additionally, the statement advised players whose contracts with the club had ended to refrain from returning to the club’s training camp until they receive a call.

This directive indicates that the club management may consider potential changes to the playing squad for the upcoming season.

Malikawa emphasized that any member of the outgoing technical crew interested in continuing their association with the club should submit their application to the Secretariat.

He also announced a slight adjustment in the scheduled date for the club’s training resumption.

The original Monday, 17 July, has been postponed to the following week, with training now set to commence on Sunday, 23 July.

This alteration provides additional time for the club to finalize the selection of the new technical crew and potentially make any necessary adjustments to the player roster.

The spokesperson expressed the club management’s gratitude to the outgoing technical crew and players for their valuable contributions in elevating the club during the recently concluded football season.

Meanwhile, barring any last-minute hitch, Abdul Maikaba is on the verge of rejoining Kano Pillars, a club he once served as an Assistant Coach in the early years of his eventful.

Maikaba until sometime last month, was the Technical Adviser of Rangers International of Enugu, but took the honourable option of working away, when the management of the Flying Antelopes were hesitant in renewing his two-year contract.

This was in the aftermath of a season to forget in the NPFL, where Rangers at a time was drifting towards the drop zone and the team's failure to land the 2023 NFA/Tingo Federation Cup, when they lost 0-1 to Bendel Insurance of Benin, in Asaba, on June 21st.

With negotiations already at the final stage, it's expected that the deal will be closed and an official announcement will follow, and which makes it a second stint at the Sai Masu-Gida for Maikaba, after he started as a rookie coach at Kano Pillars, as far back 1999.

Maikaba who has also Coached teams like; FC Abuja, Wikki Tourists, and Plateau United and is ranked one of the longest-serving coaches in the NPFL, will be tasked to possibly finish in the top three, in the upcoming season. The former teacher, who taught physics at the secondary school level, before he jumped sheep to football as a tactician, will certainly see his return to the four-time NPFL champions as home-coming, being that he is an Indigene of the state.

It is expected that Maikaba will bring his huge experience to bear and in stabilizing Kano Pillars.