Shooting Stars consider former Super Eagles coach Imama Amapakabo as new manager
Shooting Stars are considering former Super Eagles coach Imama Amapakabo as they search for a successor to Nurudeen Aweroro, who left the Nigeria Premier Football League club earlier this week.
The Oluyole Warriors are under pressure to make an appointment with the new NPFL season scheduled to begin in about two weeks. Aweroro’s departure has created uncertainty at the Lekan Salami Stadium after his promising first campaign in charge.
Aweroro replaced Gbenga Ogunbote last season, following Ogunbote’s nearly three-year spell with the club. He guided Shooting Stars to third place in the league, a result that secured their first appearance in continental football for 27 years.
The club ended the campaign eight points behind champions Enugu Rangers. Despite that strong finish, however, Shooting Stars decided to end their association with Aweroro.
In
an interview published on the official NPFL website, Aweroro said the club believed he would not be able to manage the demands of competing in both domestic and continental football. His exit has now prompted the club to begin an urgent search for a new head coach.
According to NPFL analyst Mike the Pundit, Amapakabo is one of the leading candidates for the role. The 57-year-old is best known for guiding Enugu Rangers to the Nigerian league title in 2016, although he has not won the competition again since then.
Amapakabo has been in charge of Abia Warriors since 2024 and led the club to seventh place in the Nigerian top flight. That finish was described as respectable, while his previous work has also given him considerable experience at both domestic and international level.
He has served as an assistant coach with the Super Eagles and managed the Nigeria U23 national team. His time with the Olympic side produced limited success, but Amapakabo remains among the most experienced coaches in Nigerian football.
The main difficulty for Shooting Stars would be securing his release from Abia Warriors. Any negotiations could prove crucial, given the short time remaining before the season begins and the need for the club to prepare for both domestic competition and its return to continental football.
If an agreement for Amapakabo cannot be reached, another former Super Eagles coach, Salisu Yusuf, is understood to remain an option on Shooting Stars’ shortlist. The club must now decide whether to pursue the experienced Amapakabo or move to an alternative candidate as preparations for the new campaign continue.
Source: nigeroafootball
