Kano, Nigeria – Nigeria National League (NNL) side Barau Football Club has suspended former Super Eagles coach Salisu Yusuf from his position as Technical Adviser with immediate effect.
The decision comes in the wake of the team’s disappointing start to the 2024/2025 NNL season, during which they have yet to secure a win, drawing two matches and losing two.
In the interim, Chief Coach Rabi’u Tata has been appointed as the team’s Technical Adviser. Tata, along with his assistant, will oversee the team’s performance and development during this transitional period. The club’s management expressed confidence in Tata’s ability to guide the team forward and emphasized that the changes were made in the best interest of the team’s future.
Salisu Yusuf’s Career Highlights
Salisu Yusuf has had a distinguished coaching career, managing top-tier clubs such as Nasarawa United, Kano Pillars, Enyimba, and El-Kanemi Warriors. He is perhaps best remembered for leading the home-based Super Eagles to the final of the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN) and for serving as an assistant to former Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr.
Before transitioning to coaching, Yusuf enjoyed a notable playing career as a midfielder in the 1980s and 1990s, representing several Nigerian clubs and the national team during a period when Nigerian football was gaining prominence in Africa.
Controversies and Setbacks
Despite his accomplishments, Yusuf’s career has not been without controversy. In August 2018, he was caught on camera accepting cash from individuals posing as football agents. The agents offered him $1,000 to include specific players in the squad for the 2018 African Nations Championship in Morocco.
Following an investigation, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Ethics and Fair Play Committee imposed a $5,000 fine and a one-year suspension on Yusuf. He later clarified that the $750 he accepted was a “gift of trivial and symbolic value” and not an inducement to select the players.
Looking Ahead
Barau FC’s management hopes the appointment of Rabi’u Tata will usher in a new chapter of success for the team. Fans and stakeholders will watch closely as the club navigates this critical period in their quest for improved results in the NNL.