07/10/2025
BITTERSWEET EXPERIENCE: A FAN'S PERSPECTIVE OF COACH TUNDE SANNI'S ERA
Over the weekend, my darling Team Kwara United FC suffered another defeat at the hands of the visiting Abia Warriors. The South East team came to Ilorin with so much confidence, and their scintillating performance earned them so much respect from the Ilorin fans.
Despite the home fans not being happy with their own team's performance, they still celebrated the Abia Warriors after the 90 minutes. The defeat wasn't just the highlight of the evening, but the club management also went ahead to sack Coach Tunde Sanni after an unimpressive start to the season.
The team played a goalless draw in their opening game of the season against Ikorodu United at home and also had an impressive but unlucky outing when they visited Accra for the first leg of the Preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup, losing 4 goals to 3 Asante Kotoko.
However, the second leg result was disheartening as the team suffered another loss in Abeokuta. The team has been playing some good football since the beginning of the season, but they aren't clinical upfront, and that really made them suffer so much.
Though a lot of people have criticized Coach Tunde Sanni's tactical approaches to games, I believe he can't give what he doesn't have. The sack of Coach Tunde Sanni has generated mixed reactions from people. Some fans are in support of the management's decision, while some people have been clamoring for his reinstatement.
However, I believe his era as the manager is one of the best eras, or even the best era, Kwara United fans have witnessed, because he won us our first-ever silverware a few months ago when the team lifted the Presidential FA Cup in Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos.
Coming into the new season, a lot of fans agitated for more signings, most especially good strikers, but the coach reinforced the squad with the addition of many players, including four strikers who have been performing below standard, and his tactical approach has been questionable.
Arguably, Tunde Sanni is the best ever coach we've ever had in our team, but I'm in total support of the management's decision to advise him to step aside simply because he's not getting it right anymore.
Another case study is Roberto de Matteo, who won Chelsea's first Champions League for the team and was sacked barely a few games into the new season because of poor performance. The majority of our local coaches are lazy and aren't ready to improve by furthering their coaching courses despite receiving good pay from the club owners.
As a product of University of Ilorin, there's a particular statement written at the gate while leaving the campus, which is "it's not goodbye but see you again" how I wish to see Coach Tunde Sanni in the future as our manager once again but if only he gets additional certificate and improve his tactical approaches.
Adetunbi Lawal, a Kwara United fan