NNL: Yobe Desert Stars Appoint Patrick Bassey as New Technical Adviser

Yobe Desert Stars Football Club has taken a decisive step to strengthen their technical department ahead of the second stanza of the 2026 Nigeria National League (NNL26) season with the official unveiling of Coach Patrick Bassey as the club’s new Technical Adviser.

The appointment was confirmed by the club’s chairman, Mohammed Alkali Achama, who described Bassey’s engagement as a strategic move aimed at reinforcing the team’s technical capacity and positioning the Desert Stars for a stronger showing when the league resumes.

Achama expressed confidence that Bassey’s vast experience, leadership qualities, and tactical expertise would add significant value to the team as they pursue improved results in the ongoing campaign.

Coach Bassey arrives with a wealth of experience in Nigerian domestic football, having served in various coaching and leadership roles across the country. Widely regarded as a disciplined tactician, he is known for his ability to develop young talents while instilling tactical organisation, professionalism, and mental resilience in his teams.

His most recent role was with Ranchers Bees FC, where he was unveiled as head coach ahead of the 2025/2026 NNL season. Despite high expectations of pushing the club toward promotion, his tenure was cut short due to challenging working conditions.

Speaking after his unveiling, Bassey expressed gratitude to the club’s leadership for the opportunity.

“I am honoured to join Yobe Desert Stars at this important stage of the season. Our focus is clear — to build a competitive team that reflects the pride, passion, and ambition of the club and its loyal supporters,” he said.

With Patrick Bassey now overseeing the technical direction of the team, Yobe Desert Stars will be hoping that the injection of fresh leadership and experience translates into improved performances as they continue their push in the Nigeria National League.

Samuel Ahmadu

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.

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