Sokoto United Football Club of Sokoto for the first time has come out to give reasons why it terminated the appointment of its former Technical Adviser, Coach Mansur Abdullahi.

It would be recalled that Sokoto United had immediately after securing the NNL Super 8 playoff from Northern Conference Group 2 suspended him.

In a press release In Sokoto today, the team said they needed  to address the recent developments surrounding the termination of Coach Mansur Abdullahi's contract with Sokoto United FC.

They said some of the factors leading to the sack of Coach Mansur who is also the Assistant Coach of the National U 20 Women Team. The reasons they said include, persistent lack of dedication and commitment to the team's objective, failure to establish residency in Sokoto State, thereby limiting his involvement in team activities and hindering the team's performance, repeated instances of disrespect and insubordination towards the management team, compromising the team's cohesion and morale,engagement in activities detrimental to the image and reputation of the team, management, and the Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, Sokoto State, unapproved absence from the team for five consecutive days prior to the first Federation Cup match in Nasarawa on May 2, 2024, jeopardizing the team's preparation and performance, frequent unauthorized absences to pursue personal engagements, including matches against Malunfashi FC, Mailantarki FC, and City FC of Abuja, without obtaining the necessary approval from the management.

The team went further  to reiterate that it has uplifted  Coach Peter Ajeni, the former assistant coach to the position of the Technical Adviser, and exonerating him from any involvement on issues leading to the  termination of  Coach Abdullahi's contract.
"This statement aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the circumstances surrounding Coach Abdullahi's termination and Coach Ajeni's appointment", the club concluded in the statement signed by the media officer.

In a swift reaction, Coach Mansur Abdullahi said the allegations against him by Sokoto United are watery and lack substance.

According to the First Vice Chairman of the FCT Football Coaches Association, the allegations are just  ways for the club to justify their actions which were unprofessional and negates the tenets of the game of football.

Quoting his words, Mansur Abdullahi said " how can someone claim that his not attending the Federation Cup match in Lafia affected the team's performance, when they gave me a letter of suspension on 26 April, while the match was played on May 1. How do I attend the match" he asked rhetorically. 
Surprisingly, the letter stated that I was not available for the match with Malumfashi. How come I was beaten by Malumfashi fans? I really cannot understand what they mean.
Continuing the Coach said the accommodation facilities provided for him can only be habitable by rodents and reptiles, but he still managed to stay there all through, as his complaint met deaf ears.

"I have no quarrels with the team, but the Commissioner For Sports, who on numerous occasions would want to determine the team list, which I bluntly refused, and such became insubordination". Mansur wished the team well in their endeavors.