By Dayo Awoniyi
Benin Republic heavyweights Coton FC have officially appointed veteran Nigerian coach Salisu Yusuf as their new head coach, as the club prepares for an ambitious campaign in the 2025/26 Benin Premier League and the CAF Confederation Cup.
The former Super Eagles assistant coach and Dream Team (Nigeria U23) handler was unveiled on Tuesday as the replacement for outgoing French manager Victor Zvunda.
Yusuf’s appointment comes on the back of a narrow title miss last season, where Coton FC finished second behind champions Dadje FC, collecting 60 points from 32 matches.
Club chairman Lionel Talon revealed that a major squad overhaul is imminent, with several player departures expected in the coming weeks as the club prepares for a fresh start under Yusuf’s leadership.
Tasked with reclaiming domestic dominance and breaking new ground on the continental stage, Yusuf’s mandate is clear, guide Coton FC to the CAF Confederation Cup group stage for the first time in the club’s history.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has scheduled the preliminary draw for August 9 in Tanzania, marking the first step in Coton’s bid for continental breakthrough.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
