Katsina Utd Coach targets return to Premier League

Posted : 30 June 2023

The Head Coach of Katsina United FC, Usman Shariff Abd'Allah, on Friday said that his job at the club had been the most challenging coaching job of his career.

Abd'Allah mounted the saddle as Head Coach of Katsina United, few months ago, but said the varied experience he had acquired in that short while has been very rewarding.

He noted that the team, aka Changi Boys are firmly on course to fulfilling their aspirations of returning the club to the Nigerian Football Premier League (NPFL) via the upcoming Nigeria National League (NNL) Super 8 Play-offs in Asaba, Delta State.

Abd'Allah also wants to gift himself an early present, ahead of his 48-year birthday, on July 16, by steering his team to picking a promotion ticket, at the NNL promotional play-offs, which starts on Saturday, in Asaba.

"This is a task that we must accomplish as a group. My boys know this, we are focussed on achieving this goal; and make no pretences about it," he said.

While welcoming his side's hard-fought victory over arch-rivals, Kano Pillars at the Naija Super 8 North-West play-off in Eket, on Sunday, Abd'Allah insists it does not end there, as the victory has only reinforced the belief we already had, that we can pick one of the two tickets on offer, from the NNL northern conference.

"There is no doubt that we are in a better spirit as a team, and are shaping-up very well."

The gaffer, who is also one of the Super Eagles Assistant Coaches, said he ventured into coaching at the age of 33, and just after an enterprising football playing career. His starting point was the Under-15 sides in France, Frontignan, and FC Set.

Thereafter, he returned to Nigeria and his first two jobs were arguably with the two top clubs in the NPFL, Kano Pillars and Enyimba of Aba.

First, he pitched his tent with Kano Pillars from where he joined Enyimba FC, before he joined Wikki Tourists of Bauchi, and later Katsina United, in the Nigeria National League (NNL).

Abd'Allah said as soon as he quit playing active football, he started to equip himself for coaching, and it was not long, before he got his UEFA Pro Licence badge, the biggest coaching qualification he has till date, which ranks him as a true professional coach.

He had earlier acquired the UEFA A, B and C Licences before attaing the Pro height.

"In my quest for a better and fulfilling coaching career, I also sought other experiences, during which I enriched my knowledge by obtaining the Asian Preliminary and C Licenses, as well."

The versatile tactician said he took the long journey to get all the professional training he could get in Europe and Asia, because of his insatiable thirst for knowledge, and even at present, he tries to learn everyday, and from his peers and even his players, and would not stop learning.

Working under Jose Peseiro in the Super Eagles setup has also been beneficial to him, he added, and he loves to always put his personal best, and just trust Allah for everything.

"I got plenty offers before joining Katsina United. Having been at three NPFL sides, I preferred coaching in the NNL, because it comes with an entirely new experience for me. It's a tougher league," he enthused.

As a player, Usman Abd'Allah played in the Bundesliga, first for Bayern Leverkusen in 1991, from where he moved to Vfl Bochum and later to the Saudi Pro-League where he played for Al-Arabic.

He later proceeded to South Asia, and played in Malaysian and Singaporean leagues. But he again left South Asia after 11 years, and returned to France, where he joined FC R.C.B Bollene, before moving to Set FC, a club he coached at his early days as a gaffer.

Katsina Utd Coach targets return to Premier League

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