Ahmed Musa: Ex Leicester City star lands top job at Kano Pillars as AFCON dreams fade

Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has appointed Nigeria international Ahmed Musa as the new General Manager of Nigeria Premier Football League side, Kano Pillars Football Club, Soccernet.ng reports.

The announcement, confirmed in a statement by the Governor’s spokesman, Sunusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa, is a significant shift in the club’s leadership structure ahead of the 2025/2026 NPFL season. Musa’s appointment follows the expiration of the club’s former management board’s one-year tenure.



Four-time winners of the NPFL, Kano Pillars have not lifted the league title in more than 11 years – Sai Masu Gida's last triumph coming in 2014. Musa will be keen to reinvigorate the fortunes of the club following their ninth-place finish last season.

The former Leicester City forward's appointment is even more notable in Nigerian football, as Musa becomes the first serving Super Eagles captain to be handed the reins of an NPFL club while still an active player.

The 32-year-old forward, a veteran of two World Cup tournaments and Nigeria’s most capped player, rejoined the Kano outfit last year after a career that saw him play in the Netherlands, Russia, England Turkey, and Saudi Arabia.

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Musa’s new role comes at a time of fluctuating fortunes in his international career. Despite being part of the squad that reached the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire, he failed to make an appearance in the tournament. He was subsequently overlooked by coaches Augustine Eguavoen and George Finidi.

Current head coach, Eric Chelle, left him out of Nigeria’s March World Cup qualifiers, only to recall him for the Unity Cup in London in May. There, Musa made a surprise return to the pitch after a two-year absence, featuring in Nigeria’s wins over Ghana and Jamaica. However, he was once again omitted for the recent friendly against Russia in Moscow.

As he balances his new executive duties with his playing commitments, Musa’s long-term plans will come under more scrutiny.

Ahmed Musa will be eager to address concerns about whether his administrative responsibilities could prompt an early international retirement. His leadership at Pillars could also further dent his Super Eagles prospects ahead of December’s AFCON tournament.

Musa, though, may remain committed to one last big dream: becoming the first Nigerian player to win two AFCON titles.