Nigerian champions, Kano Pillars, struggling in the top flight of the domestic league, have sacked Coach Okey Emordi.
Pillars spokesman, Idris Malikawa, said that the board approved Emordi’s dismissal and that a meeting would be held on Tuesday to discuss a replacement.
The northern Nigerian side are currently ninth in the Nigeria Premier League with 27 points, nine points behind leaders Sunshine Stars and Enyimba halfway through the current season.
The club also failed to go past the first round of this year’s CAF Champions league and were knocked out of the Federation Cup by lower league outfit Plateau United.
Players and fans passed a vote of no confidence in Emordi, who last season steered the club to a third straight league championship
The decision to sack Emordi was taken by the new board of the Kano Pillars chaired by Kabiru Baita.
“Yes coach Okey Emordi has been relieved of his position by the new board of Kano Pillars Football Club. He has done his best for the club and we wish him the best in his future endeavours,” Idris Malikawa, spokesman of the club said on Monday.
The Kano Pillars official, however, revealed that the club’s management will meet on Tuesday to begin deliberation on appointing a new head coach for the team. The Nigerian champions had lined up El-Kanemi Warriors head coach Salisu Yusuf as his replacement before the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) snapped up the trainer to join the Super Eagles setup.
Emordi was lined up for the chop after their 2-2 draw at home with Dolphins on June 28. Pillars were two goals up before Dolphins rallied back to 2-2 draw.
Malikawa said “the new coach will most likely resume before the start of the second round of the season.”
However, the Nigerian champions have revealed that Dutchman Tahseen Jabbary has applied for the vacant role at Kano Pillars.
Jabbary has managed Al-Majd and Al-Arouba in Syria and Oman respectively.
Emordi, who joined Kano Pillars at the start of last season, guided them to finish the first round of the Glo Premier League season in ninth place with 27 points, nine behind table-toppers Sunshine Stars, before he was booted out.
