[FM22] West Afri-Can we bring newfound glory to the club? Yes, we can! [Complete]

[corinthiano]

Ifeanyi Ubah Football Club

Ifeanyi Ubah Football Club are a club from Nnewi in Southeastern Nigeria, a city of with a population of just under 400 thousand people. The club is a result of a couple of purchases and city moves. The club was known as Football Club of Benin City until it was purchased by Chief Gabriel Chukwuma and renamed Gabros Internationl Football. Then in 2015 Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah purchased the club, moved it to Nnewi and conveniently renamed it after himself. Other than being a senator he is also a wealthy businessman and owns Capital Oil and Gas Limited. Seems like he is a nice fellow as there was an assassination attempt on him in September 2022 . He is not on the board anymore, which makes sense as he would be way too old.

The club is know for being a few of the well run provate clubs in Nigeria. Pre-Game they were a decent first tier size until being relegated in 2021 and not being promoted back, but they do have a Federation Cup title to their name. In-game they have been primarily a mid-table first tier side that dips into the second tier every now and then. They are in the relegation places right now which is why their manager was sacked. They are only 1.5 stars potential and probably not a priority for Kojo, but there were really decent budgets on offer and the finances are listed as secure, which could be a positive move in what seems to be a tight league.

They play their games at the Ifeanyi Ubah International Stadium, which according to wikipedia has 18 thousand seats, but only 3 thousand in FM. Judging by the picture I do trust Wikipedia a bit more. The board are looking to build a new stadium though which would be great.

Assistant XI

Looks to be a balanced team and squad, be interesting to see how we stack up against the rest of the league.

Top Rated Players

Solid defender, was deemed surplus to requirements and put on the transfer list for some reason. That has been fixed.

Another good defender.

Good goalkeeper, we should be solid defensively...he does want to move to a bigger club though.

Finances

Looks good, seems like TV revenue in Nigeria is good which means most clubs are sound financially.

Initial Fixtures

It has been a tough start for the club in what is a long league compared to others in West Africa. Firs few fixtures will be tough so hopefully we can pick up some points.

 

[corinthiano]

October/November 2075

A less than ideal start and I am wondering if this was the right move...defeats against Ebedei and Kano Pillars are understandable but we really needed to beat Delta Force. The gap is already at 5 points and we are not looking good.

Transfers

In

Out

Kojo's arrival coincided with the mid-season transfer window, which really isnt in mid-season...but a good opportunity to fix the squad. There is a lot of work to do with the squad, we have 70 players, which is way too much, but we also dont have the necessary quality for this league, so I brought in as many players as I could whilst selling those playerswho were either unhappy or not good enough, but it'll take a few transfer windows until we get the numbers down to what we would like. On the incoming side some players that can hopefully help us climb from the bottom.

Our starting GK Kehinde Ndunka wanted to leave so we needed a replacement, Charles is actually a very good improvement.

Not a spring chicken but does improve our RB position.

Young with bags of potential, but already good enough to be our starting DLP.

The Ugandan international was available for Free so made sense to sign him, is our starting BBM.

We really needed an AP and Stephane was the best I could find, so we splashed the cash on him.

Next Fixtures

A busy December ahead of us, we'll need to win the games against the teams in the bottom if we are going to make a push to survive.

[KristianT]

Exciting challenge with this new club.

[corinthiano]

15 hours ago, KristianT said:

Exciting challenge with this new club.

Definitely, and we seem to have turned things around a bit  

I think Nigeria will be fun, no foreign player limit, quite a bit of money in the league...perfect for squad building  

[corinthiano]

December 2075

Well we certainly have improved! We played well against Katsina Utd, but conceded late on to go winless in 11, but going to bottom side JNR Danburam F.C. was just what we needed. We didnt play well but managed to win and that was the catalyst for us to put in some great performances which now see us 7 points above the relegation zone.

Transfers

Out

Sold this guy because he is a right winger and I dont have those in my formation, which led the whole squad to immediately demand I sign a right winger as the "squad lacked depth" ,,,luckily a few wins meant everything was forgotten.

Next Fixtures

We should beat Rarara F.C., but then will do well to get points in the next two games.

[corinthiano]

January 2076

That was unexpected, we keep the good form going and get the first perfect month at the club. Safe to say relegation is not on our minds anymore

Transfers

Out

Another winger we dont need gone, this time no drama from the squad.

Next Fixtures

A tough game at Adamawa Utd before a couple of games against teams just above us. If we continue our good form we should shoot up the table.

[corinthiano]

February 2076

Our good form continues and a couple of narrow wins against our close competitors sees us move up 3 places into 12th.

Next Fixtures

This will be a tougher month with most games against teams in the top half of the table.

[corinthiano]

March 2076

It was tougher in the NPFL this month whcih slowed down our momentum.

Next Fixtures

We start our Federation Cup campaign this month against a lower league side and we have some tough games in the NPFL again.

[corinthiano]

April 2076

In the Federation Cup two easy wins to get us into the Third Round, which included the clubs largest ever win against Calabar Rovers. We had tougher fixtures in the NPFL, but still managed to win 2 out 4 games and climb a couple of place to be just inside the top half. The game at Katsina Utd was a rollercoaster ride as we led 3-1 at half time before letting them equalize with 10 minutes to go. Suleiman then showed up with an excellent shot from outside the area to give us a well deserved 3 points!

Youth

Youth normally isnt a focus on this save but this guy just cam through and he could be good! Will go straight into our first team squad next season and could even be a starting forward.

Next Fixtures

Just three games to go in the NPFL for us to try and stay in the top half. We play second tier side Ekiti Utd in the Third Round of the Federation Cup and if we go through it will be nice to carry on our campaign without the distraction of the league.

 

 

[KristianT]

Abiola looks great!

[corinthiano]

May 2076

We lose to City F.C. but then recover well to win our last two matches and finish just inside the top 10. In the Federation Cup our journey ends as soon as we play a NPFL side in the last 16.

[corinthiano]

2075/76 Season Review

I am amazed we managed to get the team clicking so well so quickly, from where Kojo took over at the beginning of the season it looked like it would be a season battling relegation but quickly turned into much welcomed mid table mediocrity. In the Federation Cup it would have been nice to go a little further but we met the boards objectives with a Last 16 appearance.

Squad by Appearances

Thats a big squad, and I am only showing the players making an appearances...some players were pretty much automatic starters but we did rotate a lot over the course of the season as we have a reasonably balanced squad too.

Best Eleven

Top Performers

Our most consistent striker, with almost a goal contribution per game.

Didnt play as much as I would like due to injuries, but was decent when on the field. Struggling to keep him though and he could leave on a free in a month.

He came to life in the latter part of the campaign with some crucial goals, be interesting to see if he can carry that on consistently as his attributes arent great.

Finances

The money we lost this year was almost our net spend, so if we only invest what we can in the transfer market we should be OK financially.

Progress

That was a very positive season in Nigeria and I can see us making good progress with Ifeanyi Ubah again next season, but at this stage I would still be open to a move if a 2.5 star eligible team became availble.

 

[corinthiano]

Literally as I press continue...think it is not a bad deal, $275k to more than double capacity should yield quick returns.

[corinthiano]

On 02/08/2023 at 11:04, KristianT said:

Abiola looks great!

He really does, think he'll feature quite a bit next season already!

[KristianT]

42 minutes ago, corinthiano said:

He really does, think he'll feature quite a bit next season already!

I bid 10 goals first season.

[corinthiano]

2075/76 West African Review

CAF Champions League

Disappointing year from West Africa as only 5 teams make it here, out of which only ASEC Mimosas and Hearts of Oak make it into the Quarter Final.

Hearts of Oak get all the way to the final but lose on penalties to ES Tunis, who win their 13th trophy.

CAF Confederation Cup

7 sides at this stage again, with 4 making it past here, including unfancied FC San Pédro from the Ivory Coast.

FC San Pédro's joy was short lived as they were thrashed by Sundowns, who almost completed a West African hattrick, but were denied by Génération Foot in the final, who won their 2nd Confederation Cup in 3 year.

West African League Rankings

Somewhat of a shocker as Nigeria move down a couple of places in the rankings and are now the 3rd best league in the region behind Senegal. Guinea and Togo also swap places down the middle of the West African leagues.

League Champions

Most noteworthy news is Banjul Hawks equaling Real de Banjul for most league wins in The Gambia.

Former Champions

MC Breweries: Couldnt bounce back to the top flight as they finish 7th in the second tier. Lost in the First Round of the LFA Cup too.

Kamboi Eagles: Finally back after 9 season in the unplayable leagues and did well to finish 6th.

Nô Pintcha da Brava: This has to be the worst season in the save for them as they finish second bottom of Liga Brava and are knocked out in the Semi-Final of the Taça Brava

AFC Nhacra: They finish 3rd again and are knocked out in the Quarter Final of the Cup.

Ayéma FC: Shocking season again as they go into the Relegation Group and finish only 7 points from the drop.

CNEPS Excellence: A disappointingly massive 16 points off the top in 4th, but do win a domestic cup double. Under the circumstances also did well to get to the Group Stage of the Champions League.

Banjul Utd: Better again this season as they finish 5th.

ASN NIGELEC: Great season in the Superligue as they finish 3rd, but disappointing first round exit in the Coupe du Niger again.

Unisport: Whipping boys of the Championship Group with 3 points from 10 games.

CFFEB: Much better season as they finish 3rd and beat CF Rahimo in the Coupe du Faso final on penalties.

Flamme Olympique: Great season as they win their 3rd Ligue 1 title!

Avenir AC: Better in Ligue 1 as they finish 3rd. Also won their 3rd Coupe du Mali title and will be back in the Confederation Cup.

Cosmos: The squad was dismantled, which is a real shame as they were miles off ASEC Mimosas in 2nd. The Confederation Cup title defence was not great either as they finished 3rd in their Group.

Edited August 20, 2023 by corinthiano

[corinthiano]

13 minutes ago, KristianT said:

I bid 10 goals first season.

I wouldnt mind that!

[corinthiano]

2076/77 Season Preview

The off season is a lot shorter in Nigeria, which is nice but didnt really leave us with much time for signings. We made a couple good additions, but the media still thinks we should be down there fighting against relegation. That is also what the board expect but I think we can have another comfortable mid table finish.

Transfers

In

Out

A huge clear out as we start reducing the size of the squad. On the incoming front I focused on free signings as I only wanted to pay for key players. - which was the case for Sibabi-Gueli. However I did manage to balance that with the sale of a couple of defenders to Katsina Utd which helps with our finances. There are a couple of additions to the first team.

Not much better than what we had but was available for free. Did allow us to sell Okeke as well.

The big signing of the window slots in at DLP for us and pushes Mukudy Antony to defence.

Not an automatic started but a decent option in midfield for us.

I wasnt going to sign a striker but somehow a Malaga youth product appeared on our radar and I had to get the Spaniard in.

Best XI

We are looking more solid at the back but I still think we are light in midfield.

Initial Fixtures

There are some winnable games in our first fixtures so hopefully we start well.

[corinthiano]

August/September 2076

Well, I thought we could start well, but I certainly didnt imagine we would start THAT well. The first 4 games I would expect us to win, but then to beat Kano Pillars relatively comfortably and then absolutely dominate second place Katsina Utd at their place was wild. I am under no illusions that this will not last all season but it is an amazing start from this team.

Next Fixtures

A mixture of tough and winnable games here, lets see how long this run can go on for.

[corinthiano]

October 2076

We finally lose our first game, but not before we put in some decent performances which still see us in 1st.

Transfers

In

Only brought in a promising 18 year old from South Africa on a free.

Next Fixtures

Will be interesting to see how we bounce back from our first defeat, especially as we host Enyimba Aba first thing.

[corinthiano]

November 2076

No chance against Enyimba Aba, but we do well to get 7 points from 3 games after that. We do lose our top spot but only on Goal Difference. A particular highlight is Solomon Abiola cementing a starting spot and already getting 6 goals this season!

Transfers

In

Out

Most signings were in anticipation of us losing players with agreed deals in the next two months, with back-up goalies coming in as well as good options in defence and midfield. The only addition to the first team was Wandile Nzimande, but he is not as good as my scouts made him out to be.

Good versatile midfielder and already a starter for us.

Another versatile player, will compete for a spot in defence primarily, but can do a job in midfield too.

Good RB picked up on the cheap.

Next Fixtures

A tough fixture list in December and I think we are going to struggle to keep up with Kano Pillars and Enyimba Aba from now.

[corinthiano]

December 2076

We dropped a few more points and the loss against Abia Comets was unfortunate, but if you told me at the start of the season that we would be 3 points off the top at the halfway stage I would have bitten your hand off.

Transfers

Out

We make some money on squad players, does leave us with less depth but we have enough coverage to be OK.

Next Fixtures

The league takes a break for AFCON in January and we come back from it with two huge games against 1st and 3rd place.

[corinthiano]

January 2077

Just when I think we are going to fade away we have another great month. Two narrow wins before the break meant we kept up with Kano Pillars and then we did really well to go to their place and earn a draw, which was almost a win as they responded to our late goal with one of their own. Katsina Utd then did us a favor by having two players sent off in the first half, which meant we strolled the game. We now sit in second but with a game in hand and I am starting to believe we can at least make a push for African football.

Transfers

Out

Another unhappy squad player leaves for decent money.

Next Fixtures

A tricky game at Ebedei, but then we play 3 teams towards the bottom which gives us a chance to keep up at the top.

[corinthiano]

February 2077

We lose against Ebedei at the start of the month in what has to be the worst performance of the season, but quickly get back on track and win the remainder of the games. Kano Pillars do take advantage of it though and we will be second even if we win our game in hand.

On a side note, @KristianT - Abiola is on 10 goals already  

Next Fixtures

A tough month which will make it hard to keep close to Kano Pillars, and we start our Federation Cup campaign.

[KristianT]

16 hours ago, corinthiano said:

February 2077

We lose against Ebedei at the start of the month in what has to be the worst performance of the season, but quickly get back on track and win the remainder of the games. Kano Pillars do take advantage of it though and we will be second even if we win our game in hand.

On a side note, @KristianT - Abiola is on 10 goals already  

Next Fixtures

A tough month which will make it hard to keep close to Kano Pillars, and we start our Federation Cup campaign.

I knew he could do it! I'd very much like for Abiola to become a club legend, or even West Afri-can we bring legend.

[corinthiano]

3 hours ago, KristianT said:

I knew he could do it! I'd very much like for Abiola to become a club legend, or even West Afri-can we bring legend.

I'd love for him to become a club legend, I just hope I can keep him at the club - if he keeps performing the way he does I can see bigger clubs knocking on our door soon. First game of March, we were 3-0 down at Enyimba Aba and he scored a hattrick to earn us a draw  

[KristianT]

20 hours ago, corinthiano said:

I'd love for him to become a club legend, I just hope I can keep him at the club - if he keeps performing the way he does I can see bigger clubs knocking on our door soon. First game of March, we were 3-0 down at Enyimba Aba and he scored a hattrick to earn us a draw  

Have you done the "five year contract + 3 years extension" trick? Or a rope? 

[corinthiano]

16 hours ago, KristianT said:

Have you done the "five year contract + 3 years extension" trick? Or a rope? 

 That is what I need to do as soon as he signs a professional contract!

[corinthiano]

March 2077

We did well considering the fixtures we had in no large part to Abiola who scored six goals including the much famed hattrick at Enyimba Aba. We do lose ground to Kano Pillars though who look to be on course to winning the title. We do however look good for second place which by my understanding would get us Champions League football next season.

Next Fixtures

We finally begin our campaign in the Fed Cup which should be an easy game. In the NPFL we have no easy games this month but at least two of them are at home.

[corinthiano]

April 2077

Our second strong comfortably navigate the first two rounds of the Fed Cup before we have two very decent home wins with Abiola getting goals again. We then run out of steam and are only able to rescue a late draw at Dakkada. This means that Kano Pillars just need to win 2 out of their last 3 games to clinch the title.

Next Fixtures

Two winnable games to end our NPFL campaign and a trip to a mid-table second tier side should hopefully mean at least two more Fed Cup games.

[corinthiano]

May 2077

Our season unfortunately ends in a whimper as a red card means we lose in the Last 16 of the Fed Cup in extra time and we lose out in the last game against City F.C. , but still finish an amazing second place with African football guaranteed for next season.

[corinthiano]

2076/77 Season Review

A remarkable season as we are nowhere near the relegation zone and take Kano Pillars to the last couple of games to the title. Really impressed with the consistency of the team as we had pretty much no bad runs in the league.

Squad by Appearances

We rotated quite a bit as we had 18-20 players coming in an out of the first team on a regular basis. I am happy with squad depth and it is just a case of slowly strengthening the side from here on now.

Best Eleven

Top Performers

What can you say about a 16 year old that scored 20 goals in 24 appearances in his first season. Absolutely amazing and I am so excited to see what he does next season.

A decent, but not outstanding player. His contributions to the team were priceless though with 16 goals and 14 assists.

Our top scorer and another great prospect. Enyimba Aba are sniffing around but he wants to add a really low release clause into a new contract so I may wait a bit to renew his contract.

Finances

Lost a bit of money this season but any concerns go away if we get to the Group Stages of African competition next season.

Progress

Great progress and honestly despite our reputation not being among the best in the country I think this is the club we want to conquer Nigeria with.

Edited August 19, 2023 by corinthiano

[KristianT]

Great season! Next year for the title. Abiola really beating even the most optimistic predictions

[corinthiano]

22 hours ago, KristianT said:

Great season! Next year for the title. Abiola really beating even the most optimistic predictions

Oh yeah he wildly overachieved! I thought he would make a few appearances every game or so but he was so good I couldn’t really drop him. And he could have scored more but was out injured 3 weeks at one point and went to the U-20 AFCON for a month.

[corinthiano]

2076/77 West African Review

CAF Champions League

 

Only slightly better this year with 6 teams in the Group Stage, but this time 5 make it into the Quarter Finals.

Another Ghanaian final as Asante Kotoko edge out their rivals on penalties to win their 9th Champions League.

CAF Confederation Cup

A strong 8 teams at this stage, with representation from even Togo and Benin. 4 teams make it past to the Quarter Finals.

We have a West African side of the draw with an unfancied Semi Final and a bit of a shock as Senegal's SONACOS win their first ever Confederation Cup.

West African League Rankings

Senegal move up into second best of the continent, whilst lower down the Togolese league surpasses Guinea.

League Champions

A couple of new champions as Eliwidj FC overcome mighty Stade Malien and RSLAF conquer Sierra Leone. In The Gambia Banjul Hawks are now the team with most league wins.

Former Champions

MC Breweries: Rock bottom and awful in the second tier, so off to an unplayable league they go again.

Kamboi Eagles: Another decent season as they finish 7th.

Nô Pintcha da Brava: Better in the Liga Brava as they finish second but out of the Taça Brava early on again.

AFC Nhacra: 3rd again but so close to the title as they were only two points off the top. Knocked out early in the cup.

Ayéma FC: Back into the Championship Group after a couple of years and a decent 8th finish,

CNEPS Excellence: Second in Ligue 1 and out in the Group Stage of the Confederation Cup, but at least they win their 10th Coupe du Sénégal.

Banjul Utd: Big drop put of nowhere and they finish last in the First Division and are relegated.

ASN NIGELEC: Follow up with another great season by winning their third Superligue title!

Unisport: Whipping boys of the Championship Group again with 3 points from 10 games.

CFFEB: Finish 4th and lose in the last 16 of the Coupe du Faso. Disappointing in Africa as they lose to MangaSport of Gabon in the Second Round of the Confederation Cup.

Flamme Olympique: Do really well to retain the title. In Africa they were knocked out in the first round of the Champions League to Primeiro de Agosto from Angola.

Avenir AC: Not a great season as they drop back to 5th, and exist early in the Coupe du Mali and Confederation Cup.

Cosmos: Strong but ultimately disappointing season. They led the league all the way through only to be pipped by ASEC Mimosas in the last game. Decent campaign in Africa as they make the Group Stages of the Champions League.

Edited September 17, 2023 by corinthiano

[corinthiano]

2077/78 Season Preview

Despite finishing second last season the media sees us finishing in mid-table this season, which is the same expectation as the board has. Our rep has increased to two stars which is nice and I would like to qualify for Africa again, which means top 3 or win the Fed Cup.

Transfers

In

Out

A lot of movements as we revamp the team, bringing in players for now and the future. On the outgoing front Lorenzo is the big loss as he made a fuss and I had to accept the bid from Enyimba Aba, but at least we managed to get in a future 50% sale clause and a loan back for this season which will leave us with a year to find a replacement. On the incoming front there are a few players who will come into contention for the first team right away.

The veteran comes in on a free after being released by Lobi Stars. Best BPD at the club.

Another free signing, this one young and with potential. Will fight for a place next to Agbo at the back.

Will compete with Mohamed for that spot, Devon is more experienced an a Zimbabwean international.

Another Spaniard picked up from the lower leagues and will be our starting DLP. Great bargain at $2k considering he is now worth up to $425k already!

Kouassi is a great versatile player who will primarily fight for the Mezzala spot, but I can see him doing the job in many positions for us.

I had higher hopes for Jaffary, but he'll still be a good option in midfield for us.

Great young player that will challenge Bassilekin for the AP slot.

Best XI

Mostly agree with our Assistant, although Agbo would make BPD for me. Other than left-back I am really happy with the strength and depth at the club. Can see a few players getting disgruntled as the season goes on though...

Initial Fixtures

With the season starting a lot earlier in Nigeria we will actually play the Preliminary Round of the Champions League after we get our NPFL campaign started. Simba is not a straightforward tie but hopefully we can make it through.

[corinthiano]

August/September 2077

This was an excellent month considering the fixtures were tricky and we still havent really found our best XI. The points dropped against PLateau Utd were disappointing but at least our rivals are dropping points too. In the Champions League we had a very tight affair against Simba, who deservedly beat us at their place, but were lucky to only concede one in the return leg. In the end we squeeze through on penalties.

Next Fixtures

A huge and difficult month as we travel to Enyimba Aba and Kano Pillars in the NPFL this month and will do well to get two points from those games. In the Champions League we have a very tough draw against Sundowns, so lets see if we can get into the Group Stage.

[corinthiano]

October 2077

Two outstanding results in the NPFL as we comfortably beat both Enyimba Aba and Kano Pillars at their place! Drawing at home to Heartland F.C. was a downer as we should have won that comfortably but we are in a good spot right now. In the Champions League Sundowns were by far the superior team and deserved to go through.

Transfers

In

Out

Left-back was a weak spot in the team and I moved early in the mid-season transfer window to get a good young player in Diallo and a first team option in Priso. I'll only look to make more signings if someone really good pops up in our radar as we have a few unsettled players already in the team and I dont want to disrupt it even further, I may actually look to offload some of those unhappy players.

Next Fixtures

In the NPFL the game against Katsina Utd will be tough, but I would like to win the rest to keep momentum. And we get another tough draw in Africa as Egyptians Ismaily stand between us and a Confederation Cup Group Stage appearance.

Edited August 27, 2023 by corinthiano

[corinthiano]

November 2077

We had a shocker this month and I have to take the blame for it. Too many signings were made in the off season and we have quite a disgruntled squad. Some players are leaving in the next few months and hopefully that helps. On the plus side it looks like Group Stage football is all but guaranteed as we go to Egypt and dismantle Ismaily.

Transfers

In

Out

Puleng Ngwenya comes from South Africa as a lot of defenders/right backs will leave in the next couple of months. Mukudy Antony also got a good bid from our former club and as he slipped down the pecking order it was a good deal, especially with him coming back on loan.

Next Fixtures

Its a packed December and we need to get back on track so we can fight for African football next season.

[corinthiano]

December 2077

An outstanding December means we are now right in the middle of the chasing pack behind Enyimba Aba. Players have started to gel and Abiola picked up some form after a poor start to the season and we seem to be getting to the level we were last season now.

CAF Confederation Cup

I like this draw and chances of finishing second behind Raja Casablanca.

Transfers

Out

Clearing out some of the unhappy squad players. Musa-Bichi is the only one we'll miss a bit, but we still have decent cover up front.

Milestones

Next Fixtures

Some tough away games before the mid-season break.

 

[corinthiano]

January 2078

I knew it was a tough month but we should have done better and slide into mid-table yet again...

Transfers

Out

Just another squad player leaving.

Next Fixtures

We start out Confederation Cup group campaign, which is not going to make it easier to climb up the table again.

[corinthiano]

February 2078

Not a bad month at all, maybe should have gone a bit more aggressive against Raja Casablanca and Enyimba Aba, but avoiding defeat against them is a good result. We are still some way off the Top 3 in the NFPL, but we have put ourselves in a good position in the Confederation Cup.

Next Fixtures

No easy month again, would like us to get closer to the Quarters in the Confederation Cup and the top 3 in the NFPL.

[corinthiano]

March 2078

Inconsistent result in the NPFL keep us some distance from the top places, but we put in a great away performance at Raja Casablanca before a mad 7-3 against Gor Mahia sees us qualify in first in our group with a game to go in the Confederation Cup.

Next Fixtures

The fixtures in the NPFL are a little kinder so hopefully we can be more consistent, but I expect the month to be busy with the Confederation Cup Quarter Finals and Fed Cup coming up.

[corinthiano]

April 2078

There was some heavy rotation of the squad as we navigated a packed month. It almost cost us a place in the Confederation Cup Semi-FInals but the second string just about held on to the second leg after the first team won 3-0 in Ghana. In the NPFL mostly good results other than at the end of the month when we ran out of legs with 3 games in 6 days.

Next Fixtures

We go into May still in 3 competitions and we'll likely prioritize the cups as more than a 5th place in the NPFL will be tough.

[corinthiano]

May/June 2078

Injuries meant that we were just putting out whatever team was fit enough until the second leg of the Confederation Cup against Wydad Casablanca. We managed to do OK until then other than the freak exit in the Federation Cup to Abeokuta Stormers from the second tier. The final of the Confederation Cup was against the strong Enyimba Aba side and we were no match for them. We did bounce back from that defeat however and snyuck into 4th place, which could get us to the Confederation Cup if Ebedei, who are in the Semi Final, win the Federation Cup.

Transfers

In

Out

With the transfer window opening before the season ended we sealed some pre-arranged signings. Fabricio Galvis was a mistake as I was excited to get someone from South America in, but he wont be more than a back-up striker. The other two youngsters though will challenge for the first team. On the outgoing front two youngsters that didnt make it are heading out.

[corinthiano]

2077/78 Season Review

A combination of too many singings unsettling the squad and fixture congestion due to African competition meant we were not as consistent as last season and hovered around the top part of mid-table most of the season. A decent run towards the end of the season meant we pipped Kano Pillars to 4th place and with Ebedei winning the Fed Cup we secured African football for next season too.

In the cups we did brilliantly to get to the Confederation Cup final but were not good enough to beat Enyimba Aba on the day. The money we made from the run was re-invested in both training and youth facility upgrades. In the Fed Cup yet another disappointing performance as we get knocked out way too early by second tier opposition.

Squad by Appearances

Way too many players used this season. Most unhappy players have or will move on for the next season and I will try to go easy on the signings next season (but cant promise anything )

Best Eleven

Charles Bideas was also introduced as back-up keeper in the All-Time Best Xi of the club.

Awards

Some more recognition this year, Kojo wins manager of the year for the second year in a row, but we have a first time Best Team inclusion for Donald Agbo, whilst Abiola is the third best scorer in the league at just 17.

Top Performers

Abiola has scored a lot but so has Lorenzo! Amazingly Enyimba Aba have let us have him for another year without paying his wages!

Great season again and is developing nicely into an excellent striker. No interest on him yet, lets pray it keeps like this.

Donald Agbo may have gotten into the Team of the Season but Mohamed Sou has actually performed better out of the 2 and at 20 is still improving.

Finances

Decent profit and that is with the facilities investment. The board have given us decent budgets for next season so we can improve the squad if we want.

Progress

We went backwards a bit, so hoping that we can be more consistent in the NPFL next season.

[corinthiano]

2077/78 West African Review

CAF Champions League

What a performance from West Africa this season with a whopping 10 out 16 teams at this stage, and 6 of them making it into the Quarter-Final.

The West African dominance continued with all-regional final and a bit of a surprise as CNEPS Excellence claim their 4th title.

CAF Confederation Cup

Naturally a lot less teams here with 5 only, but all of them make it into the next stage.

It was Nigeria vs Morocco in the Semi Finals, with Nigeria prevailing. In the Final Kojo could not continue the upset and Enyimba Aba win their 3rd title.

West African League Rankings

Benin is the league making big moves as they go up 8 places and overtake Togo and Guinea along the way. Nigeria edge up to 3rd to make the top 3 leagues in Africa all from West Africa.

League Champions

One new champion in Guinea and not as many dominating teams winning the title this season.

Former Champions

MC Breweries: Were in an unplayable league this season but will be back in the second tier next season.

Kamboi Eagles: Another decent season as they finish 8th.

Nô Pintcha da Brava: Poor in the Liga Brava again as they finish 4th and are knocked out in the Semi Final of the Taça Brava.

AFC Nhacra: Drop a bit this season and finish 5th in the league, still going out early in the Cup.

Ayéma FC: Fall back into the Relegation Group, but dominate it and finish it in 1st.

CNEPS Excellence: Underwhelming in Ligue 1 as they finish 4th, but do win the League Cup and most importantly a 4th Champions League title!

Banjul Utd: Almost two relegations in two years as they finish 15th in the second tier and only 5 points off the drop.

ASN NIGELEC: Couldnt retain the title but finished a good 3rd and got to the Quarter Final of the Coupe du Niger. In the Champions League they are knocked out in the Preliminary Round by ES Sahel from Tunisia.

Unisport: Whipping boys of the Championship Group again with 6 points from 10 games.

CFFEB: Finish 5th and are runners-up in the Coupe du Faso.

Flamme Olympique: Couldnt make it three in a row and finish 2nd in Ligue 1. Get a tough draw in the Champions League and are knocked out by Kano Pillars in the Preliminary Round.

Avenir AC: Slightly better as they finish 4th and get to the Quarter Final of the Coupe du Mali.

Cosmos: Second to ASEC Mimosas again. In African football they lose to eventual Champions League champions CNEPS Excellence in the First Round and then to the eventual Confederation Cup champions Enyimba Aba in the Quarter Final.

Edited September 24, 2023 by corinthiano

[corinthiano]

2078/79 Season Preview

Our odds have been cut from 33-1 to 20-1, but we are only predicted to finish a place higher. Not a lot of additions to the squad but plenty of young players improving and plenty to be excited about. We have moved into the 6,870 capacity Ifeanyi Ubah Stadium, almost tripling our previous capacity and we have another African campaign to look forward to. The board still just expects us to finish in the Top Half but I want to be a lot closer to the top this season.

Transfers

In

Out

Little movement this season as we bring in a few free transfers and invest big on a young left back from Ghana. On the outgoing front we offload a few unhappy squad players and youngsters that didnt make it.

Comes in on a free from South Africa and will compete for a starting spot.

The big investment, exciting youngster with bags of potential.

Assistant XI

Fair assessment, it feels like we have a well rounded squad now.

Initial Fixtures

A decent few fixtures in the NFPL so I hope we can hit the ground running. We also start our Confederation Cup campaign and I am confident we can get post DRC Congo opposition.

[corinthiano]

August/September 2078

I knew the initial fixtures were winnable but I am really happy with the performances and a great 100% start in the NPFL. The only draw in the month was as the second string went to DRC Congo with a 3 goal lead in the tie. This all without Abiola who has been injured for almost two months...

Transfers

Out

Louis wasnt happy I brought in Bonsu so off he went before he unsettled the squad.

Next Fixtures

We have a couple of tougher fixtures this month in the NPFL but hopefully we can keep a good start going. In the Confederation Cup we should be able to see it through against AS-FAN from Niger.

[corinthiano]

October 2078

Amazingly we keep producing results and are still 100% in the NPFL and 2nd with 2 points and 3 games in hand to Adamawa Utd. Enyimba Aba and Kano Pillars continue their poor start to the season which is also great.

Transfers

Out

Peguy lost his starting spot to Ipoua and it made sense to let him go once he started complaining, especially as we still have good cover at AP. Napo has been unhappy for a while as back-up DLP so $500k was great for him. He does leave us short at back-up though so I will try and address it before the end of the transfer window.

Next Fixtures

This will be an interesting month as we go to the two struggling big clubs, which will be tough regardless of how they are doing so far this season. In the Confederation Cup we have the first leg of a tricky tie against South Africa's Amazulu to get into the Group Stage.