Kabiru Dogo: Kwara United coach seeks for blend of youth and experience players ahead of next season

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

For two straight seasons, Kwara United have not qualified for continental football after nearly getting to the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup during the 2022/2023 season.

The head coach of the team, Kabiru Dogo is of the view that they have learned from the experience of the last two seasons.

The Harmony Boys struggled for form and battled relegations waters during those two seasons, an experience the coach intends to correct with the help of the Club management and State government.

“Kwara United is our project and the project of everyone as far as Kwara rare is concerned,” Dogo told Diamond FM Ilesa, Osun State.

“The foundation we have built in the second round last season, I think we should build on that for next season.

“I still have a season contact with the team. The management, government, chairman, General Manager, and everyone has been putting hands together to see that Kwara United perform. They need all the support to move the team forward.”

The Ilorin based side finished the 2023/2024 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) campaign in the 13th position with 51 points, five points and three places above the relegation zone.

In a bid to avoid similar situations next season, Dogo says he wants to have a blend of experienced players with his young boys to get a desirable result next season.

“We want to bring in good legs into the team.” He continued. “The last two season had been big lessons to all of us and we want to pick up from those mistakes where we were struggling . This time around we don’t want to struggle. To do that, we have to bring best legs for the team.

“What we lacked last season was maturity in the attack. We have young boys that are working very hard but we need to have experience to those ones that we have because the team next season will be built around young and experienced players.

“At least we are in the market now. When we talk of experience it is not about old cargoes but young and experienced players. Even at the AMAPRO Tournament, I have seen some experienced players there. We will pick them and add to the established ones in the league. Together we can have a good team.

“Technically we have some problems because we create a lot of chances but couldn’t score them. In the area of goalkeeping too, we are working on that to get a good goalkeeper. For the stadium, I will leave it to the government and management, they know what to do.

“The players angle is my own area. I wish the pitch is better. The pitch in the second round was muh better compared to that of the first round and hoping for improvement for next season.” He concluded.

The Kwara state darling team hope to qualify for the continent next season and that can only be achieved with a top three finish at the end of the campaign.