A lot has happened with Akabo United FC this autumn! Here’s a short summary of what’s been going on during September and October.
Trials in Abuja
Our head coach Darlington returned to Imo State to reorganize our main team in Ikeduru. Both KK and Ifeanyi were officially selected to join the Central Academy’s main team, which was a big step forward for us. Unfortunately, at the end of September, we were informed that the club owner would be selecting only a few final players for the team’s trial abroad. During a friendly match, our captain KK was injured and later dismissed from the team, leaving only Ifeany to continue. We are still waiting for the official contracts.
After this, our captain returned home, and the head coach followed a week later. Around the same time, we received some positive news about new outcomes for the team. However, in Imo, we had to start reorganizing our team management and player structure again.
We were also invited to a four-day scout program in Abuja through our partner and assistant coach, a former Tiki-Taka coach. However, since we already planned to participate in three tournaments in October in Owerri — Dom Daniel Tournament Cup, PF Super League 2025 Fixtures, and Game On Africa Tournament — we had to make difficult financial choices. With hotel and travel costs rising, we decided to skip Abuja this year and aim for next year instead.
Challenges and Lessons Learned
October has been a valuable learning period for our management. We’ve seen what it truly takes to meet the level and discipline required in professional tournaments. Things like haircut rules, fines for lateness, and even penalties for missing shinguards have been strict but educational for our players.
Travel has also been challenging — traffic, weather conditions, and finding buses to different parts of Owerri are not easy. Our players have shown real commitment, often contributing to their own travel and accommodation costs.
