Anambra-based football club unveils NIS-certified coach ahead of NLO debut

By Praise Chinecherem

Gamechangers Football club, Anambra-based football club, has unveiled former professional footballer, Emmanuel Awa, as the new coach ahead of its inaugural participation in the 2025/2026 Nationwide League One (NLO) season.

The couch unveiling took place at the Awka Township Stadium during a ceremony to mark one year anniversary of the existence of the Anambra-based grassroots football club.

Coach Awa has an extensive playing career that spans multiple clubs across Nigeria, India, and Bangladesh, including Mohammedan Sporting Club (Kolkata and Dakar), Air India SC, and BCC Lions of Gboko.

He also an Advanced Certificate Coaching Course in Football from the National Institute for Sport (NIS), as well as El-Roi London University in Sports Management, Coaching Psychology, and Transpersonal Leadership Philosophy.

The football club, at the event played a memorial match and officially retired the jersey number six, in honour of a member of the club, who lost his life in active service.

Speaking at the event, Founder and Chairman of the club, Surveyor Obi Emeka Chukwudi described the event as a major milestone in the formative efforts of the club to provide a platform for young footballing talents to explore their potentials, noting that the club has maintained 100% consistency with its goals.

“Some of the club’s short-term goals include to invite international scouts and conduct trial programs for players to travel overseas before 6 months of its existence and to have five to ten players sign for their respective clubs in Europe.

“On the long run, the club envisions to rise to prominence in the football industry in the Southeast, and to have over 30 players playing in European clubs within four years of its existence, thereby ensuring that budding football talents can develop and be able to lift their families out of poverty through the round leather object,” he noted.

The Gamechangers FC boss paid glowing tribute to a deceased member of the club, who he said showed great energy and passion for the game while he was under the club, explaining that the decision to retire the number six jersey in his honor was in line with the tradition of the club to recognize and appreciate diligence and commitment to the ideals of the club.

“At Gamechangers FC, we are focused on our vision to excel from the NLO, through the NNL and eventually break into the Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL.

“We recognize and acknowledge all the players and members of staff, who have been part of this excellent and wonderful journey into a successful football business over the past one year.

“The destination is still far, but we are determined to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves as a club,” Obi noted.

The newly-unveiled coach, Awa, who described it as a great honour to be part of the club, vowed to deploy his knowledge and experience, to ensure tactical flexibility in the team’s play, ensure team cohesion, and create structured, yet adaptable game plans that will guarantee success for the club in competitions.

Responding after she received a souvenir in honor of the deceased player, Onochie, his sister, Miss Ifeoma, expressed their joy at the event.

She said, “We are glad that my brother made a little impact in the little while he stayed on earth. I know that wherever he is now, he is happy.

“We want to also appreciate the management of GameChanger FC for this honor and for keeping to their promise. This is a big honor to our family.

“We pray that the football club will continue to grow from height to height and even beyond the expectations of the owners.”

The memorial matches played during the event saw the Gamechangers FC teams defeat Fortune FC and UNIZIK FC in separate matches.