Aliyu Zubairu: Flying Eagles coach resigns from his second job

Flying Eagles head coach, Aliyu Zubairu, has officially resigned from his position at El Kanemi Warriors FC, bringing an end to a successful yet demanding two-year spell with the Borno-based club, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 45-year-old tactician, who is currently preparing Nigeria’s U20 national team for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup, announced his departure in a heartfelt message to El Kanemi on June 10, 2025.

In his farewell note, Zubairu expressed deep gratitude to the club’s management, staff, players, and loyal fans for their unwavering support during his tenure.

Zubairu also extended a special thanks to Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum and other key stakeholders in the state for their consistent support, describing Borno as “home.”

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Zubairu’s spell at El Kanemi Warriors will be remembered for a string of notable achievements.

Aliyu Zubairu: Flying Eagles coach resigns from El Kanemi role

He masterminded the club’s return to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) in 2024 and led them to a historic FA Cup triumph, defeating Abia Warriors 2–0 in the final at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena. That victory marked the club’s third FA Cup title and their first in over three decades.

Following these successes, Zubairu’s stock rose sharply. In mid-2024, the Nigeria Football Federation handed him the reins of the national U20 team.

Despite taking on dual responsibilities, he managed to guide El Kanemi to NPFL survival, with the team finishing just one point above the relegation zone.

The Warriors secured crucial wins against Remo Stars and Sunshine Stars in their final three matches to avoid the drop, ending the season with 49 points from 38 games (12 wins, 13 draws, 13 losses) — one point clear of relegated Heartland FC, coached by Super Eagles legend Emmanuel Amuneke.

Zubairu’s greater triumphs, however, have come on the international stage. He led Nigeria’s Flying Eagles to victory at the WAFU B U20 Championship, securing qualification for the 2025 U20 Africa Cup of Nations.

At the continental showpiece, Zubairu guided the team to a third-place finish, clinching a bronze medal and earning a ticket to the U20 World Cup.

Now fully focused on the Flying Eagles’ preparations for the World Cup, Zubairu is aiming to write a new chapter in Nigeria’s rich youth football history. The West Africans have twice reached the final of the tournament — in 1989 and 2005 — but are yet to lift the trophy.

With his eyes now firmly set on World Cup glory, all attention turns to how Zubairu will inspire the Flying Eagles to go one step further and bring the coveted trophy to Nigeria for the first time.