Tunde Sanni denies ultimatum rumours after Kwara United’s CAF Confederation Cup exit

By Dayo Awoniyi

Technical Adviser of Kwara United, Coach Tunde Sanni, has debunked reports claiming he was handed a three-match ultimatum following the club’s early exit from the CAF Confederation Cup.

The Harmony Boys were eliminated from the continental competition after a 1-0 second-leg defeat to Ghanaian side Asante Kotoko, resulting in a 5-3 aggregate loss in the preliminary round.

Following the exit, reports circulated alleging that the club’s management—led by Chairman Kumbi Titiloye—had placed Sanni on half salary and given him three games to turn the team’s fortunes around or face dismissal.

However, both the coach and the club have strongly refuted the claims. In a statement, Kwara United’s Media Officer, Ayodeji Ismail, dismissed the rumour.

“I can tell you authoritatively that no ultimatum was given,” he said.

Coach Sanni also denied the reports in a phone interview, describing the matter as “resolved” and stressing the importance of the team’s upcoming matches.

“It’s not true. It has been resolved. Whether anybody gave me a three-match ultimatum or not, pressure or no pressure—this coming match is very important for us,” Sanni said.

“We need to regroup on time and keep preparing so that we can win. When they paid salaries, I received my full salary. If it wasn’t resolved, how could I have been paid in full? Our job now is to work harder and win tomorrow.”

Kwara United currently sit 15th on the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) table, with two games in hand.

The Ilorin-based side will face Plateau United in a rescheduled Matchday 5 fixture on Thursday, October 2, before hosting Abia Warriors on Sunday.

The team will then be on the road for back-to-back away fixtures against Kano Pillars and Wikki Tourists as they look to recover their early-season form.

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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