Coach Azeez Mohammed, the coach of Katsina United has revealed how he was able to navigate through the relegation waters and keep the team in the league.

The coach joined the Changi boys mid-season when the team was deep in relegation struggles with just 5 victories in 19 games languishing in the 18th position with 18 points.

The coach understands the challenge at hand perfectly when he was appointed saying ‘ I want to take this challenge and I’m confident that we will turn things around.” and lived up to his words by keeping the team in the league at the end season.

The team added 31 points in the second stanza, almost doubled what they could muster in the first half of the league, and finishing in a respectable 12th position.

The multilingual coach told Sportspedal Media the secret behind the transformation in such a short time ” It’s just hard work” he said.

The former Ranchers bees player also attributes the success of the team to work on their players winning mentality and confidence which he said shows in results on the pitch.

“I also worked very hard on the boy’s confidence and mentality and I’m happy it worked for us,” said Coach Azeez.

The coach who returned from Sudan to coach in the NPFL also rates the league as improving and posited that a lot still has to be done.

” It has improved from what I know about the league before though it has issues that adjustment but it’s better than before” he concluded.

His appointment was necessary after some strings of poor results by Katsina United in the Nigeria Professional Football Leagues (NPFL) first stanza.

The coach has already signed the dotted lines after agreeing personal terms.

Kogi born Mohammed had an illustrious playing career that spanned through Ranchers Bees, Kaduna United and later Gombe United.

He arrived in 2008 as a player and signed for Merreikh Port Sudan FC. Then in 2010, Mohammed played for Annasr Kareema FC. But unfortunately, he got injured and his playing career suffered an abrupt end.

After the injury finally healed, he went back to school and ventured into coaching by enrolling in the Sudanese equivalent of Nigeria Institute for Sports (NIS).

Azeez Mohammed has his CAF B and C coaching badges as we speak. He has managed Hilal Al-Fasher in the past.

He will be tasked with leading Katsina United up the NPFL standings. The Changi Boys currently occupy 18th spot having managed just the five wins so far this season.

“When I looked at the ambition of the club, I was really attracted to Katsina United” said Azeez Mohammed.

“I really want to be part of this team. I want to take this challenge and I’m confident that we will turn things around.”

The soft spoken coach numbers Shabab Nasir, Almaurad, Alamir Bahrawi, Hayyal Wadi Nyala, Alamal Athbara and Wad Hashim Sinnar as his former clubs.

He has already started implementing his ideas to the Katsina United team in training.