13 without a win now, and the ground has developed the special quiet of a crowd that expects the worst. One scrappy 1-0 would cure most of it; that is the maddening part.
The clubs have shaken hands with Remo Stars; the player has not yet. Personal terms are next, and personal terms are where more deals die than anybody prints.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Katsina United can pretend not to have heard.
Boardroom4 Sep 2028
Katsina United close the window on a squad of their own making
12 in and 11 out, and no more changes for months. The manager has what he has, the supporters have their opinion of it, and the table will have the last word.
Everything was agreed until it was not, and Muhammad Suleiman reports back to Katsina United with a summer to forget. Neither club is saying who walked away from the table.
Every footballer has an answer to the question about his boyhood club, and most of them never get to act on it. Kazeem Tesleem has, at Katsina United, and the first month will show what that does to a man.
Afeez Bankole and a teammate said things this week that will take longer than a week to unsay. It was not about football, and both of them play on Saturday.
Katsina United ran out of time with Ikorodu City. The paperwork was open when the deadline passed, and a transfer that was almost done is now a transfer that never happened.
Somebody said out loud what several people thought about how hard another man trains, and Yusuf Abdulmumini was in the middle of it. The one dressing-room argument that is genuinely about football.
Usman Barau and a teammate said things this week that will take longer than a week to unsay. It was not about football, and both of them play on Saturday.
“It is not the end of the world and it is not good enough. Both of those are true.” The manager, after a 0‑0 draw, said the honest thing and then went to say it again inside.
The crowd waited for a goal that never came. Bendel Insurance defended in numbers and left with what they came for, and the two sides could be playing still without troubling a scorer.
He used to wear the other shirt. On Saturday he plays against Kun Khalifat in this one, and whatever he says this week about it being just another game will be untrue.
In brief
The dugoutDavid Onovo asks for a word with the manager
4 without a win now, and the ground has developed the special quiet of a crowd that expects the worst. One scrappy 1-0 would cure most of it; that is the maddening part.
Squad17 Apr 2028
Words at Katsina United training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Yusuf Abdulmumini is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
Afeez Bankole and a teammate said things this week that will take longer than a week to unsay. It was not about football, and both of them play on Saturday.
Successful dribbles: 14. He went past people as if he had been told there was a prize for it, and by the end the full-back had stopped pretending to try.
The dugout17 Apr 2028
The manager’s verdict
“I am frustrated, honestly. We did enough to win and we did not win.” Anthony Umar was not hiding it after 0‑0, and nobody in the Katsina United dressing room was either.
The crowd waited for a goal that never came. Abia Warriors defended in numbers and left with what they came for, and the two sides could be playing still without troubling a scorer.
In brief
The dugoutUsman Barau has become a man the manager trusts
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at Katsina United, and it is not being withdrawn.
Usman Barau and a teammate said things this week that will take longer than a week to unsay. It was not about football, and both of them play on Saturday.
“The supporters are entitled to be angry. So am I. We will put it right.” 0‑1, a manager saying the necessary things, and a dressing room that heard a different version of them.
Somebody said out loud what several people thought about how hard another man trains, and Afeez Bankole was in the middle of it. The one dressing-room argument that is genuinely about football.
A brace, and Samson Obi takes the afternoon — 8.77
There is a particular kind of quiet from an away end watching one man score twice. Samson Obi provided it, and the 8.77 beside his name is if anything generous to everybody else.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Katsina United can pretend not to have heard.
Usman Barau was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
The dugout13 Mar 2028
The view from the dugout
“We controlled it. There were spells I did not like and we will look at them, but the group showed me something.” Anthony Umar, on a 2‑0 win that he was already picking apart on the walk to the press room.
Somebody said out loud what several people thought about how hard another man trains, and Afeez Bankole was in the middle of it. The one dressing-room argument that is genuinely about football.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Katsina United, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at Katsina United, and it is not being withdrawn.
Somebody said out loud what several people thought about how hard another man trains, and Yusuf Abdulmumini was in the middle of it. The one dressing-room argument that is genuinely about football.
It is never announced and it is entirely visible: the biggest afternoons of the season keep containing him. A press box works this out long before anybody at the club confirms a word of it.
Warri Wolves next, and one man in the Katsina United dressing room knows their training ground better than his own. The reception will tell him what they thought of him.
14 combined actions and 6.75. The job he did is the one that shows up as other people looking good, and the only reliable way to notice it is to watch what happens on the afternoons he is missing.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Katsina United this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
“We were not good enough today and I am not going to dress it up.” Anthony Umar after 0‑2, in the tone of a man who knows the next question and does not intend to answer it.
Squad21 Feb 2028
Afeez Bankole falls out with a teammate over standards
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
Every manager keeps a short list in his head of the men he wants on the pitch when the stakes rise, and it is never published. The team sheets for the big afternoons say Usman Barau is on it.
Rangers International next, and one man in the Katsina United dressing room knows their training ground better than his own. The reception will tell him what they thought of him.
It has been denied twice and printed three times, which is the usual arithmetic. Until Michael Okoro signs something — a contract at Katsina United or anywhere else — this column belongs to him.
Afeez Bankole and a teammate went at it, and not about football. Training grounds are small places and a long season makes them smaller.
Squad29 Nov 2027
Abba Dali falls out with a teammate over standards
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
Every manager keeps a short list in his head of the men he wants on the pitch when the stakes rise, and it is never published. The team sheets for the big afternoons say Usman Sadiq is on it.
It has been denied twice and printed three times, which is the usual arithmetic. Until Afeez Bankole signs something — a contract at Katsina United or anywhere else — this column belongs to him.
“Thirty minutes, door closed, everything said. We shook hands after.” Whatever was in the room stayed in the room, and Usman Sadiq trained the next morning like a man with less to carry.
In brief
SquadSani Faisal is training like a man with a point to make
40 days on the estimate, and a long, private, unglamorous year of a rehabilitation nobody watches. Katsina United lose a footballer; he loses considerably more than a season.
Player ratings20 Sep 2027
A brace, and Samson Obi takes the afternoon — 8.84
There is a particular kind of quiet from an away end watching one man score twice. Samson Obi provided it, and the 8.84 beside his name is if anything generous to everybody else.
“Some decisions take a long time. This one took ten minutes, and most of that was finding a pen.” Emmanuel Bakare and Katsina United agree another 3 years.
Afeez Bankole was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
A 2‑0 win over Niger Tornadoes, earned rather than given, and the sort of afternoon that sends everyone home talking about next week instead of this one.
The dugout20 Sep 2027
The manager’s verdict
“I am not going to get carried away and I will not let them either. It was a good day. There will be harder ones.” Anthony Umar kept it short after the 2‑0 win, which is what managers do when they are happy.
Clubs make promises constantly and the page usually only hears about them when they are broken. This one was honoured, and the dressing room noticed that faster than any supporter did.
In brief
The dugoutThe manager makes an example of Usman Sadiq
78 days on the announcement, and a year of quiet, unwatched rehabilitation behind it. Katsina United lose a player for a season; he loses something harder to name.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Katsina United this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
“A point is a point and I will take it, but we should have had all three.” Anthony Umar after the 0‑0 draw, and the sentence every manager in the country said at some stage this weekend.
Squad16 Aug 2027
Abba Dali falls out with a teammate over standards
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
Somebody else has been better, the manager has said so with a team sheet, and there is no argument to be had. He will get the shirt back the only way it can be got back.
Headers, blocks, tackles, interceptions — 13 of them, and not one goal behind him. The sort of performance that never makes a highlight reel and wins football matches.
Headers, blocks, tackles, interceptions — 13 of them, and not one goal behind him. The sort of performance that never makes a highlight reel and wins football matches.
The crowd waited for a goal that never came. Remo Stars defended in numbers and left with what they came for, and the two sides could be playing still without troubling a scorer.
In brief
The dugoutUsman Barau has become a man the manager trusts
12 without a win now, and the ground has developed the special quiet of a crowd that expects the worst. One scrappy 1-0 would cure most of it; that is the maddening part.
108 days on the estimate, and a long, private, unglamorous year of a rehabilitation nobody watches. Katsina United lose a footballer; he loses considerably more than a season.
The deal with Abia Warriors is done in every sense but the one that puts him on the pitch. Nothing goes wrong at this stage, except on the occasions when it does.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Katsina United this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
It needed Samson Obi to find the net to bring anything home at all: 1‑1 against Rangers International, and half the dressing room will call it a point won.
“A point is a point and I will take it, but we should have had all three.” Anthony Umar after the 1‑1 draw, and the sentence every manager in the country said at some stage this weekend.
Something was said to Usman Sadiq and then it happened. In this industry that passes for remarkable, and the dressing room noticed faster than any supporter could.
Brutal, unambiguous and, for all the horror of the moment, usually less career-shaped than the ligament everybody fears more. 22 days, a clean timeline, and a return date somebody can actually plan around.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Katsina United this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
0‑1 to Rangers International, and no complaints worth printing. The performance asked for nothing more than it got.
The dugout1 Mar 2027
The manager’s verdict
“That is on me. I pick the team and I picked wrong.” Managers say that when they mean it and when they need to be seen to, and after 0‑1 Anthony Umar left the room before anybody could ask which.
Somebody said out loud what several people thought about how hard another man trains, and Abu Tatu was in the middle of it. The one dressing-room argument that is genuinely about football.
The dugout1 Mar 2027
Somebody else is better right now than Afeez Bankole
The team sheet says it in public every week until it changes. The only version of being dropped a footballer cannot argue with, and the one he takes hardest.
He used to wear the other shirt. On Saturday he plays against Warri Wolves in this one, and whatever he says this week about it being just another game will be untrue.
Bones knit. That is the one merciful thing about this injury and the reason Katsina United will talk about it more openly than they would about a knee. He will be back, and roughly when they say.
Ugwuoke Ugochukwu and a teammate said things this week that will take longer than a week to unsay. It was not about football, and both of them play on Saturday.
The club is not barred from spending; it simply has nothing to spend that it has not first raised. Every name linked with Katsina United this window arrives with a name leaving in the same sentence.
“A point is a point and I will take it, but we should have had all three.” Anthony Umar after the 0‑0 draw, and the sentence every manager in the country said at some stage this weekend.
A bone, which is the one injury with a calendar attached. Katsina United will name a return date and, unusually for this business, will probably be right about it.
The offer went to Warri Wolves this week and it is theirs to answer. First bids are rarely meant to succeed; they are meant to find out how loud the door closes.
$20.0K was the most the club would pay and Warri Wolves were asking for more. Deals like this are revived in the last week of a window roughly half the time, and everybody involved knows it.
Tochukwu Ogbadibo was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
10 combined actions and 6.88. The job he did is the one that shows up as other people looking good, and the only reliable way to notice it is to watch what happens on the afternoons he is missing.
The dugout18 Jan 2027
The view from the dugout
“We will look at it, we will learn from it, and we go again.” The three sentences every manager keeps for a 0‑1 defeat, delivered by Anthony Umar to a room that had heard them before.
Kano Pillars have been asked whether they would lend him. Loans are agreed quickly or not at all, and this one will be one or the other by the weekend.
Nobody at Katsina United will say this on the record and the team sheets have been saying it for weeks. There is a small group in every squad who get picked when the fixture is difficult, and he has joined it.
The captaincy has been taken off Joshua Enaholo. Katsina United will call it a decision about the team; a dressing room reads it as a verdict on a man.
The most common injury in the game and the most rushed back from. Katsina United will quote 15 days and will be careful with it, because the second one is always worse than the first.
Something was said to Emmanuel Bakare and then it happened. In this industry that passes for remarkable, and the dressing room noticed faster than any supporter could.
In brief
The dugoutMusa Sulaiman knocks on the manager's door