The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) is widely regarded as one of the toughest leagues in Africa.
Winning the NPFL is no small feat, considering the vast distances covered during the season and the minimal differences in quality between most clubs.
The competitive nature of the league is evident from last season, where the difference in points between winners Rangers International FC and Sunshine Stars, who finished in tenth place, was just 15 points.
This highlights how closely contested and competitive the NPFL is.
Winning the league as a coach is a highly celebrated achievement, and the upcoming season promises to be no different.
NPFL – Who can emulate Fidelis Ilechukwu?
Last season, Fidelis Ilechukwu, who moved from Plateau United to Rangers, won the league in his first attempt with the Enugu-based side.
It was a long-awaited success for Ilechukwu, who had previously managed MFM FC, Heartland FC, and Plateau United.
This season, several coaches have joined new clubs and will be looking to emulate Ilechukwu's success in their first season.
Here are three coaches who are in line to repeat Ilechukwu's achievement in the upcoming season:
Finidi George – Rivers United
After his contentious exit from the Super Eagles job, Finidi George has a lot to prove as he takes on the role of head coach at Rivers United.
Appointed with much fanfare to replace Stanley Eguma, the former Ajax star aims to lift the NPFL title in his first attempt.
Finidi, who has already won the league with Enyimba, seeks to become the first coach in the last decade to win the title with two different clubs.
His experience at Enyimba has set him on a promising path to success with Rivers United, one of the league's biggest spenders.
Rivers United finished last season in ninth place with 53 points and failed to qualify for continental football, a situation Finidi is determined to rectify.
Olanrewaju ‘Yema' Daniel – Enyimba
The youngest coach in the league, Olanrewaju ‘Yema' Daniel, is now fully in charge of Enyimba after serving as an assistant to Finidi George.
When Finidi left Enyimba for the Super Eagles job, Daniel was appointed interim coach until the end of the season.
Now, as the head coach, Daniel faces the challenge of leading the Aba side, which consistently aims for the title and continental football back to the top.
Despite losing key players like Ikenna Cooper, Chubuike Nwaiwu, and top scorer Chijioke Mbaoma, Daniel is focused on getting the team back to the top after missing out on the title by just four points last season.
Usman Abdallah – Kano Pillars
Kano Pillars will start this season under the leadership of Usman Abdallah, who has been confirmed as the head coach after the brief tenure of former Sporting Lagos coach Paul Offor.
Abdallah won the league title with Enyimba in 2019 and has also managed Wikki Tourists and Katsina United the NPFL in the past.
He is tasked with the responsibility of returning Pillars to the top after their disappointing performances in the last two seasons.
Kano Pillars finished last season with 52 points, placing them in 11th position which drew a lot of negative criticism from the fans of the club.
They hope Abdallah can lead them to their first league title since 2014 after years in the wilderness.
Abdallah will draw inspiration from Ilechukwu’s first-season title win as he strives to secure silverware for himself and the Kano faithful.
The Nigeria Premier Football League season , every season, brings new challenges and opportunities for clubs and coaches alike. The upcoming season will undoubtedly be exciting as these coaches aim to make their mark and lead their teams to glory.
