Ibrahim Sunday remains Nigeria’s most successful club soccer coach. Many compatriots do not even know much about him. That one can understand because he was born in Koforidua, Ghana and the Kano man did not work in his home country. For a coach who won the maiden Africa Super Cup in 1992 more recognition should follow him.
Sunday was one of the first set of Nigerians to play for Ghana Black Stars. Before him was Ganiyu Salami. Sunday was at the Africa Nations Cup, Ethiopia ’68. Some of his team mates were Cecil Jones Attuquayeffio and Jabir Malik. They ended up with the silver medal. At Sudan ’70, the team bagged another silver. Sunday scored twice.
He also captained Asante Kotoko to CAF Champion’s League victory in 1970. On the way to glory, the Kumasi side edged out Stationery Stores, Lagos. The Adebajo Babes were disqualified for abandoning the game while the hosts were one goal ahead. Sunday later tried professional football in Germany.
The Kano man did even better as a coach. He took his former team, Kotoko, to another Cup triumph in 1983 against Al Ahly of Egypt. The Porcupines had lost in the finals the previous year to the North Africans. At that time, no Nigerian club had won the trophy. It took the next 20 years for Enyimba to do it.
If Kadiri Ikhana was Enyimba Manager in 2003, he still did not beat Sunday’s record. Okey Emordi who piloted the Aba Elephnats to a successful cup defence in 2004 can also not claim to be as successful as Sunday. The duo did not win any other continental trophy.
Sunday was a WAFU Cup winning coach with Africa Sports, Cote D’I’voire, in 1991. He achieved that at the expense of Lobi Bank, Makurdi. I was at the Houphouet Boigny Stadiu, Abidjan for the grand finale which Lobi lost 2-1 after scoring first. Coach Bernard Ogbe was very close to success but his team failed him.
At the end of the match, I got talking with Sunday. ” I am a Nigerian, from Kano,” he proudly announced. I was sad that Lobi lost but at the same time, the victors were managed by a Nigerian.
In 1992, Sunday won another continental laurel, the Africa Winners Cup. Africa Sports had two outstanding Nigerians, Thompson Oliha and Gabriel Okolosi. The latter emerged as the competition’s leading scorer. And for the first time, CAF organized the Super Cup between Champions League winners and Winners Cup champions. The Ivorians became the first to kiss that cup.
Stephen Keshi, no doubt, was Nigeria’s best coach. He won the Nations Cup as player and coach. Took the Eagles to the World Cup second round and qualified Togo for their first and only Mundial, in 2006. Big Boss also led Togo and Mali to the Nations Cup. That’s a huge profile. Unfortunately, he did not succeed as a club manager.
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The first Nigerian coach to succeed in a continental competition was Godwin Achebe. He was in charge when Enugu Rangers lifted the Winners Cup in 1977. Shooting Stars of Ibadan had won the cup in 1976 under a British coach, Alan Hawkes. Shuaibu Amodu followed in 1990 with BCC Lions of Gboko.
In the now rested third rate CAF Cup, donated by Chief Moshood Abiola in 1992, Niyi Akande moved Shooting Stars to the zenith in 1992. Lawrence Akpokona did the same with Insurance of Benin in 1994. He did a double, winning also the WAFU Cup for keeps.
Till date, no other Nigerian has won a continental trophy as a coach from outside the country after Sunday. Patrick Ekeji worked as Technical Adviser for Old Edawardians, Sierra Leone in 1985. They were knocked out of the Winners Cup by Leventis United, Ibadan.
Salami tried his best, from FC105, Gabon to Stella, Abidjan and Dragons, Benin Republic. Amodu moved to Orlando Pirates, South Africa in 1996/97. Emordi chose Umtata Bush Bucks, another South African team in 2006. Emmanuel Amuneke was at Al Khartoum Watani in 2017. Not much was achieved.
Outside Africa, Sunday Oliseh, handled lowly clubs in Belgium and Holland respectively. In 2016, he was sacked by Fortuna Sittard. Daniel Amokachi is with Finish Third Division club Hercules, as Technical Director.
