A CURIOUS CASE OF KANO PILLARS
By Isma'eel Abba Tangalashi
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Over the years, Kano Pillars Football Club has been known as one of the only few clubs you can bet on to lift the Nigerian professional Football League trophy, readers will agree with me when putting into consideration that Pillars won four titles between 2008-2013.
Besides being one of the title favourites, they also boast of having the largest fan base in the country, their ground, Sani Abacha Stadium in Kofar Mata, is always filled to capacity whenever the Northern giants play- week in week out.
In recent years, Kano Pillars have not enjoyed the best of seasons due to one reason or the other chiefly being the club's away form which has been one of the worst in the league.
Last season, Pillars picked maximum points on the road just once, and that came against Abia Warriors in Umuahia. This season, Pillars haven’t fared better- they were only able to garner 4 points on the road against Rivers United, Shooting Stars, Remo Stars and recently, ABS FC.
In those fixtures, Pillars were able to score 3 goals and conceded the same number of goals in the process.
Apart from the poor out and lack of getting points from fixtures one will consider easy away from home, Kano Pillars is also one of the worst scoring sides on the road. Overall, Pillars played 36 matches in the league so far, in those matches, they were able to score just 34 goals apart from the 3 goals awarded to them against FCIU during the opening day fixture and conceded 32 goals in the process.
Consequently, Pillars scored 28 goals at home and conceded eight, while in away from home, the Kano darlings conceded 24 and scored just four in the process. Pillars only clean sheet in the league this season came in a Match Day 23 fixture away to Shooting Stars in Ibadan in which the game ended in a goalless.
Last season, Pillars made a habit of conceding late goals in 75% of their away fixtures even when in front. Instead of taking new dimensions and some steps towards improving on their last season's away woes, it has evidently gone from bad to worse this time around.
Before the start of the current season, there was wide jubilation in and around the Pyramid City when Kano Pillars appointed their former Coach, Kadiri Ikhana as the new technical adviser but the marriage broke after a string of poor performances.
The former international honourably resigned from his post as the Technical Adviser of Kano Pillars after violence ended the Match Day 17 home defeat to Akwa United on the 9th of April, 2017 that resulted in the Sai Masu Gida's side being asked to play their home matches behind closed doors for an indefinite period by the League Management Company of Nigeria.
Coach Ibrahim Musa was installed as the acting head coach to lead the affairs of the Kano based club in a bid to steady the ship and to redeem the lost glory of Pillars. Musa has not disappointed the fans with series of home wins and a tiki taka kind of football, the highlight of his reign as Pillars acting TA was the 1-1 draw played at the Ilorin Township Stadium against hosts, ABS FC.
But in recent days, he has come under a lot scrutiny and criticism ranging from the elimination of the Club in the round of 64 of the ongoing AITEO Cup in the hands of NNL outfit, Yobe Desert Stars to poor players selection.
Most importantly, the Coach has been accused of depending solely on his mercurial captain Rabiu Ali a.k.a Pele. He reliance on Ali resulted in him being played 4 games in the space of eight days starting from the CHAN Eagles match against Benin Republic to NPFL match day 36 encounter away to Nasarawa United.
Other players that are young and vibrant have been sidelined by the coach even in Cup games. Against Yobe Desert Stars, a lot of football followers expected the Musa to rest the likes of Rabiu Ali, Sikiru Kamal, Nwagwa Nyima, Jamil Muhammad Jamil so as to have a rest and prepare for the weekend game against Nasarawa United.
Nothing of such happened.
Pillars registered about 35 players before the start of the season but only a few of them were given the chance to showcase what they are made up of.
I believe that for a team to be successful, there must be a blend between the old/experienced players and younger/upcoming ones. I must give Kudos to Ikhana for showing faith and trust to younger players such as Nazifi Yahaya, Alhassan Ibrahim, Jamil Muhammad Jamil and Fahad-all these are young players that have great potential and a massive future ahead of them.
As we inched closer towards the last two matches of the season, I hope to see a new Kano Pillars. First and foremost, win convincingly at home on Sunday, against El Kanemi warriors and then manage to pick the maximum points in their last game of the season away to Akwa United in Uyo.
Doing that will restore some hope and bring back smiles to the faces of the Pillars faithfuls ahead of "the operation Pillars must win next NPFL season."
#TangaSports
By Isma'eel Abba Tangalashi
Over the years, Kano Pillars Football Club has been known as one of the only few clubs you can bet on to lift the Nigerian professional Football League trophy, readers will agree with me when putting into consideration that Pillars won four titles between 2008-2013.
Besides being one of the title favourites, they also boast of having the largest fan base in the country, their ground, Sani Abacha Stadium in Kofar Mata, is always filled to capacity whenever the Northern giants play- week in week out.
In recent years, Kano Pillars have not enjoyed the best of seasons due to one reason or the other chiefly being the club's away form which has been one of the worst in the league.
Last season, Pillars picked maximum points on the road just once, and that came against Abia Warriors in Umuahia. This season, Pillars haven’t fared better- they were only able to garner 4 points on the road against Rivers United, Shooting Stars, Remo Stars and recently, ABS FC.
In those fixtures, Pillars were able to score 3 goals and conceded the same number of goals in the process.
Apart from the poor out and lack of getting points from fixtures one will consider easy away from home, Kano Pillars is also one of the worst scoring sides on the road. Overall, Pillars played 36 matches in the league so far, in those matches, they were able to score just 34 goals apart from the 3 goals awarded to them against FCIU during the opening day fixture and conceded 32 goals in the process.
Consequently, Pillars scored 28 goals at home and conceded eight, while in away from home, the Kano darlings conceded 24 and scored just four in the process. Pillars only clean sheet in the league this season came in a Match Day 23 fixture away to Shooting Stars in Ibadan in which the game ended in a goalless.
Last season, Pillars made a habit of conceding late goals in 75% of their away fixtures even when in front. Instead of taking new dimensions and some steps towards improving on their last season's away woes, it has evidently gone from bad to worse this time around.
Before the start of the current season, there was wide jubilation in and around the Pyramid City when Kano Pillars appointed their former Coach, Kadiri Ikhana as the new technical adviser but the marriage broke after a string of poor performances.
The former international honourably resigned from his post as the Technical Adviser of Kano Pillars after violence ended the Match Day 17 home defeat to Akwa United on the 9th of April, 2017 that resulted in the Sai Masu Gida's side being asked to play their home matches behind closed doors for an indefinite period by the League Management Company of Nigeria.
Coach Ibrahim Musa was installed as the acting head coach to lead the affairs of the Kano based club in a bid to steady the ship and to redeem the lost glory of Pillars. Musa has not disappointed the fans with series of home wins and a tiki taka kind of football, the highlight of his reign as Pillars acting TA was the 1-1 draw played at the Ilorin Township Stadium against hosts, ABS FC.
But in recent days, he has come under a lot scrutiny and criticism ranging from the elimination of the Club in the round of 64 of the ongoing AITEO Cup in the hands of NNL outfit, Yobe Desert Stars to poor players selection.
Most importantly, the Coach has been accused of depending solely on his mercurial captain Rabiu Ali a.k.a Pele. He reliance on Ali resulted in him being played 4 games in the space of eight days starting from the CHAN Eagles match against Benin Republic to NPFL match day 36 encounter away to Nasarawa United.
Other players that are young and vibrant have been sidelined by the coach even in Cup games. Against Yobe Desert Stars, a lot of football followers expected the Musa to rest the likes of Rabiu Ali, Sikiru Kamal, Nwagwa Nyima, Jamil Muhammad Jamil so as to have a rest and prepare for the weekend game against Nasarawa United.
Nothing of such happened.
Pillars registered about 35 players before the start of the season but only a few of them were given the chance to showcase what they are made up of.
I believe that for a team to be successful, there must be a blend between the old/experienced players and younger/upcoming ones. I must give Kudos to Ikhana for showing faith and trust to younger players such as Nazifi Yahaya, Alhassan Ibrahim, Jamil Muhammad Jamil and Fahad-all these are young players that have great potential and a massive future ahead of them.
As we inched closer towards the last two matches of the season, I hope to see a new Kano Pillars. First and foremost, win convincingly at home on Sunday, against El Kanemi warriors and then manage to pick the maximum points in their last game of the season away to Akwa United in Uyo.
Doing that will restore some hope and bring back smiles to the faces of the Pillars faithfuls ahead of "the operation Pillars must win next NPFL season."
#TangaSports
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