Ifeanyi Uba United: A new concept of club football in Nigeria as Amum says Uba is another Abiola

Sitting second in the log with 13 points from 7 matches, newly promoted Ifeanyi Uba United has

been one of the surprise teams of the 2014/15 Glo Professional League season, so far. For a team that is tasting top flight action for the first time in over a decade to exert so much authority and lord it over and above relatively ‘older’ clubs in the league speaks volumes. One may say it is still early to praise the club’s exploits in the top flight, but it can be argued that Ifeanyi Uba United have brought about a fresh breath into the Nigerian Professional Football League.

Originally called Gabros International Football Club of Nnewi, the club changed it name to Ifeanyi Uba United following the change in ownership structure, just before the kick off of the ongoing season. The entry of Chief Ifeanyi Uba into the Nigerian football family has been welcomed by all those who know him and his football roots.

Chief Uba was a goalkeeper with his childhood club, Gabros International Football Club in the early 1990s. Indeed, he went for trials in coach Fanny Amun’s U-17 camp, alongside the likes of Nwankwo Kanu, Wilson Oruma, Peter Anosike, Celestine Babayaro, Pascal Ojigwe among others. In the goalkeeping department, Amun preferred Emmanuel Babayaro, Destiny Iyonu and Emmanuel Okhenoboh to Uba. That was how he missed the cut to Japan. “He was a very good goalkeeper,” Coach Fanny Amun admitted, in a chat with Sunday Vanguard Sports.

Ifeanyi Uba’s soccer career did not last for long as he soon went into business. Having made it big in the world of business, Uba, who is the CEO of Capital Oil decided to return to his childhood club, this time in a bigger way. He bought over the club and injected new blood into the technical and administrative makeup. New players were also drafted in to keep the club afloat in the highly competitive top division.

In his continuous drive for excellence, the club proprietor attracted some of the best hand and brains to the club. Former Flying Eagles coach, John Obuh and  Fanny Amun were brought in as  part of the technical set up. While Obuh was handed a supervisory role, Amun’s job is to set up a proper structure for the  club, while Waidi Akanni will act as consultant.

Bulgarian coach Mitko Dobrev will continue in his role as technical adviser of the Nigeria Professional Football League side. Willy Udobe remains chief coach and Kingsley Obiekwu assistant coach.

Although Amun denied taking up a permanent appointment with the club, he admitted the club contacted him for help, which he obliged. Said he, “I was called to put in place a framework which will make the club excel like Chelsea, Arsenal and the like. The methodology on ground was faulty. That has been corrected and I’m almost through with my job there.”

He heaped accolades on the billionaire club proprietor, Ifeanyi Uba, saying, “What I see in him is another Abiola. The difference between him and the late Abiola is in age. His large heart, the will to succeed and his ability to infect those around him with this intrinsic qualities stands him out. He is building a model club which will soon dominate Nigerian football,” Amun said.

Apart from making strategic appointments, the new club owner has made Nnewi the destination to be for all football lovers all over the country, particularly those from east of the Niger. Ex-internationals, football administrators retired and active players among others flock Nnewi each match day for  Ifeanyi Uba United. Undoubtedly, the club have, within a short time, one of the largest fan base among the top flight clubs in the country.

According to Friday Kujah a prominent figure in Nigerian football circle and a close confidant of the club proprietor, “the fans are growing in their thousands. Everybody in the east wants to identify with Ifeanyi Uba United and as a result, each time they are playing the fans outside the arena always outnumber those inside the stadium.”

But the club proprietor is not blind to this fact. “Plans are in advanced stage to construct a 35,000 capacity stadium in Nnewi,” Kujah told this reporter, adding that “no stone will be left unturned to make Ifeanyi Ubah United a model club in the country.”