It’s a new dawn for both players and fans of Akwa United Football Club. To the Confederation of African Football top executive, Paul Bassey, the appointment of Maurice Cooreman as coach will create more chances for the club to excel in 2016.
The Uyo outfit won its first major domestic title, wrapping up the Federation Cup in 2015 but a bigger task awaits the club with its qualification for the 2016 CAF Confederation Cup and Cooreman’s wealth of experience, according to Bassey, is expected to bring more fortunes for the club.
Bassey stressed, “We wanted a clean slate and thought Maurice Cooreman was the most experienced Nigerian coach alive; if you put experience under parenthesis. He has won it all in the league and cup. He’s taken five teams to the Africa; 35 matches in all, I’m very excited. He didn’t take those clubs up like he’s doing with Akwa United; he took Enyimba to the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League. If Maurice Cooreman cannot do it, no other person can.
“We’ve gone for a coach that is very experienced, knowledgeable and technically sound and by the time we recruit five or six players, Confederation Cup, here we come.”