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Nigeria’s Flying Eagles Head Coach, Aliyu Zubair, has been officially unveiled as the new Head Coach of Telecom Egypt SC, a top contender in the Egyptian second division league today.
Zubair, who recently led Nigeria’s U-20 team — the Flying Eagles — to the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, signed a two-year contract with the Cairo-based club. The unveiling ceremony took place at the club’s headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, where the management expressed confidence in his technical depth and leadership experience.
A native of Ilorin, Kwara State, Aliyu Zubair’s coaching journey has been a story of steady rise and distinction. From his early days managing the Kwara United youth team, he built a reputation for nurturing young talents and promoting disciplined football culture — qualities that later defined his national and club successes.
Zubair’s track record speaks volumes: he guided Gombe United (2021) and El-Kanemi Warriors (2024) to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), achieving promotion from the second tier on both occasions. His most recent triumph came in 2024, when he led El-Kanemi Warriors to win Nigeria’s oldest and most prestigious football competition, the President’s Federation Cup — an achievement he had previously tasted as Assistant Coach when Akwa United lifted the FA Cup in 2017.
At the national level, the Kwara-born tactician further etched his name in gold by leading the Flying Eagles to WAFU-B Championship victory in 2024, securing qualification for the AFCON U-20 tournament, where the team clinched the bronze medal and earned a ticket to the World Cup.
Joining him in Egypt is his trusted assistant and fellow Kwaran, Coach Lukman Ijaiya, who hails from Offa, Kwara State. Ijaiya, currently serving as Assistant Coach of the Flying Eagles, has been a longtime collaborator and tactician alongside Zubair.
Together, they share deep grassroots connections to Kwara football development, having both contributed immensely to the progress of local talents in Ilorin and Offa.
The duo’s move to Egypt is seen as a testament to Kwara State’s growing influence in Nigerian football coaching.
Telecom Egypt SC, an ambitious side with strong financial backing and state-of-the-art training facilities, aims to secure promotion to the Egyptian Premier League.
The club’s leadership described Aliyu Zubair’s appointment as “a perfect fit” for their vision — citing his “work ethic, tactical intelligence, and proven record of turning potential into performance.”
For Zubair, this new chapter presents an opportunity to extend his winning philosophy beyond Nigeria’s borders while flying the flag of Ilorin and Kwara State proudly on the continental stage.
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