Okey Emordi joins C.O.D United

Former Enyimba coach Okey Emordi has joined C.O.D United Football Club as its new manager.

Emordi, one of the most successful coaches in Nigerian football, has taken over the managerial responsibilities at the Lagos-based club on the back of a very long and successful career having worked at leading clubs like Enyimba, Enugu Rangers and most recently, Kano Pillars.

He replaces the club’s former Portuguese manager Paulo Da Silva who had to return home for family reasons and his immediate task is to lead the club’s charge for promotion to the Nigeria Professional Football League next season.

While at Enyimba, Emordi became only the second Nigerian to win the coveted CAF Champions league in addition to a league title.

He also won the league title with Kano Pillars and came within whiskers of achieving the same feat while at Enugu Rangers.

Speaking on Emordi’s appointment, C.E.O of the club Shola Opaleye expressed excitement.

“Okey Emordi’s knowledge, experience and record shows clearly that he has been the outstanding coach in the Nigerian football space in the past decade or so and we are very delighted he has decided to join us. His appointment is yet another demonstration of our ambition as a club to keep moving forward and never rest on our oars,” said Opaleye.

“We want to play in the NPFL next season and we believe Okey’s appointment gives us a massive opportunity to do that. Once we shared our vision with him, he decided to take up the challenge and we are delighted he was convinced to join us having seen our vision for the club. We expect him to sustain and improve on all that we have achieved as a football club on the pitch and help our players and young coaches become even better.”

Emordi also expressed his delight at joining C.O.D United. “I have joined a very organized club with big ambitions. As you know, I have worked with some of the biggest clubs in Nigeria and even Africa and so I had to carefully consider this. Having spoken to the club and seen what they have done so far, I am excited to take on the challenge of ensuring the club plays in the NPFL next season.”

C.O.D United kick off their NPFL promotion chase when they take on Abia Comets at the Onikan Stadium on May 7, 2016.