By Dayo Awoniyi
Nine-time Nigeria Premier Football League champions Enyimba FC have appointed Deji Ayeni as their new head coach, with the experienced tactician officially assuming duties on Friday in Aba.
The move signals a decisive attempt by the club to halt its recent slump in form and restore stability to a turbulent campaign.
Ayeni, known for his encouraging spells at Sunshine Stars and Akwa United, had only taken over Nigeria National League side Crown FC on 28 August 2024 with a clear promotion mandate.
However, Enyimba have now handed him a bigger task—reviving one of the country’s most decorated clubs at the top level.
The Ilesa-born manager will take charge immediately, starting with Sunday’s crucial home clash against Rangers, a fixture widely regarded as a potential turning point in the People’s Elephant’s season.
Ayeni’s immediate priorities include steadying the dressing room, lifting player morale and reawakening the high-intensity football long associated with Enyimba.
With his tactical reputation and strong leadership presence, fans in Aba will hope Ayeni can spark an urgent resurgence and guide the club back to its trademark winning identity.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey 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.
