Coach Abimbola: shaping the future stars of Nigeria football

Coach Abimbola: shaping the future stars of Nigeria football By Amaechi Agbo A foremost playwright, William Shakespeare, in the course of his writing prowess, after duly observing man and his inherent position in achieving a purpose, said; “some men are born great, some achieve greatness while others have greatness thrust upon them.” Those who have greatness within, around or upon them and more often than not give it out, are regarded as heroes. The hero is one who kindles a great light in the world, who sets up blazing torches in the dark streets of life for men to see by. The saint is the man who walks through the dark paths of the world, himself a light. Coach Abimbola Samuel Olutubosun, is one man that have given Nigeria enough and is still giving, both in football development, management and most importantly, discovering, nurturing and harnessing potentials of the raw talents in the country and churning them into super stars. A man’s worth in life is not a summation of all the edifices, cars and other material luxuries he has but a conglomerate of his impact to the community and society he is into. With over 28 years’ experience coaching different clubs in the country including national teams, Coach Abimbola have seen it all and it will not be out of place to add that he knows it all when it comes to football coaching. Born in Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State, young and vibrant Abimbola started his football career as a player with LUTH Football Club, Lagos where he had one-year contract before moving on to join Mandalias Lion FC in 1978 through ’81. He later joined the Pioneer Club, an Abuja-based football club, in 1984 and played for them for six good years that yielded trophies and historic finishes in the various leagues the club took part in. He departed the Pioneers and joined Finance United FC within Abuja; a club he rose to become a player-coach and won several laurels with. As a coach, one of his never-to-forget experience is his appointment into the national team coaching set up. First was the initial appointment as the Second Assistant coach of Nigeria’s Under17 national team, the Golden Eaglets in 2008. The appointment lasted for just one year after the coaching crew led the young lads to silver medal podium in 2009 Under 17 World Cup championship hosted in Nigeria. In recognition of his indispensable input, the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, under the able leadership of Alhaji Sani Lulu, rewarded him with more work by promoting him to the national Under 20 team, the Flying Eagles, in the same year. There he worked with Coach John Obuh and together, the Flying Eagles had what arguably is their best moment in winning trophies. First was the triumph in the 2010 and 2011 back-to-back of the Four National Tournament in Egypt and South Africa, in that order. In 2011, the Flying Eagles emerged African Champions of Youth Championship held in in South Africa. The team went on to play in the quarterfinals of the World Youth Championship held in Columbia in 2013. After he left the national teams, he was snapped up by his home state club, Gateway United, because the man who lives in a land knows the female palm tree. He spent just a season with the club before being taking away by City of David United FC in Lagos. His tactical acumen and dynamism in football management cut the eyes of Sunshine Starts of Akure, who wasted no time in taking him away from Lagos and bringing him to the Sunshine state where he spent another season between 2012 and 2013 before he was on the move again but this time, it was the turn of Prime Football Club of Osogbo that came calling for his services in 2014. Because our people say that a good road is travelled twice, Gateway United came again asking him to return home. And like St Paul on his second missionary journey, he did not turn his back against them. He picked up the job and turned around the fortunes of the club both in performance and in playing style. Their second marriage however could last but for two years. Coach Abimbola has coached several clubs with outstanding performances with records and history created. For instance, as a player-coach, he led Finance United to two consecutive triumphs of the Division 11 Amateur League in 1995 and 1996 seasons. In 2001, the Finance United FC were second best in the All Bankers Game. Prior to that, team reached the finals of the FCT Challenge Cup in 1998. In 1994, Coach Abimbola recorded quadruple victories first was the lifting of FCT State League trophy, winner of the National Division Playoff as well as winner of Division IV Amateur League and finally lifting the All Ministry Game trophy in the same year. Finance United FC gave him the throughway into football coaching and he grabbed the rare opportunity with both hands and since then never looked back. But that was not all. Beyond being a coach, Coach Abimbola Samuel is a confidant, father and trusted friend. His relationship with former Nigeria Football President, Alhaji Sani Lulu, of many years, had gone unbroken. It was not surprising that before registering his club, Fosla Football Club, despite the plethora of coaches at his disposal, Lulu consulted Coach Abimbola to help him put the young lads in shape. Fosla Football Club, the only club in the FCT League that parades players all of who are university undergraduates, made its debut in the league this year and took it by storm. They disbanded teams in the first round, grounded results in the second stanza and booked a place in the Super Four despite being in a group considered to be tough. Fosla Football plays a brand of football typical of FC Barcelona’s style, hence their nickname, TIKI TAKA. All thanks to the man saddled with the onerous responsibility of coaching players who, for more than a year, had not had a competition nor played together as a team. Watching them in training, one could assume that football is an easy game because Coach Abimbola did not only infuse in them the spirit of believability but also made them to believe that despite their size, which many see as obstacle, like David, they can conquer Goliath. With Coach Abimbola Samuel, Success is indeed achievable without public recognition, and the world has many unsung heroes in him. The teacher who inspires you to pursue your education to your ultimate ability is a success. The parents who taught you the noblest human principles are a success. The coach who shows you the importance of teamwork, as Abimbola has done and is doing, is a success. The most menial workers can properly consider themselves successful if they perform their best and if the product of their work is of service to humanity. In Fosla Fooball Club, just like every other club he has coached, Coach Samuel Abimbola shaping the future stars of our football and a call to another national assignment will be a deserving venture. After all, a man does not need to kill more than one lion before he is called lion killer.