“Last season, I lost out on the ABH league trophy on the final day”—Abdulsobur Abdulazeez Olatunde, Coach of 2024 Dr Victor Aire FA Cup up champions, Blazers FC

After conclusion of the ABH league two weeks earlier, which saw Gladiator FC pulled out a surprising stunt on the last match day, to become the league champion for 2024 season, after edging their point-tied rivals – Oshin FC and Shegzy FC on head-to-head and goal difference respectively, the league cup christened Dr Victor Aire FA Cup, final match was played on Thursday, 12th December, 2024, between Blazers FC and Shegzy FC.

As anticipated, it was a keenly contested match, which in addition caused high-running emotions among the fans and the players, and almost resulted in a big uproar and violence, but the officials had it under control.

Ultimately, Blazers FC was declared winner after a one-nil victory over their fierce rival.
In recognition of this, the ABH press resolved to schedule an interview session with the Blazers FC Coach, Mr Olatunde. He spoke about the feat, support the team had, strategies and lessons learnt.

Read on.

Coach, congrats on winning the ABH FA Cup. Can you give me a brief introduction of yourself?

My name is Abdulsobur Abdulazeez Olatunde, a 500-level student of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Ibadan. I am the coach of Blazers FC, a team that competes in the Alexander Brown Hall Football League.

How does it feel to lead your team to such an impressive feat?

Honestly, it was more of a sigh of relief. Last season, I lost out on the ABH league trophy on the final day, and I couldn’t bear to see history repeat itself—although this was an FA Cup final. All in all, it was an exciting experience for the players, fans, and well-wishers who came around to witness great football.

I understand ABH teams are very competitive and that your team finished fourth in the league. However, what changes or strategies proved vital to your success in the cup?

I just took more risks. As we progressed through the cup stages, I made bolder decisions, and I’m glad they paid off. During both the league and the FA Cup, I had a smaller squad compared to other teams. Initially, I was hesitant to make certain changes, but I had to tweak my approach, freeze out a few players who weren’t making an impact, and hope for the best as things unfolded.

Which of your players stood out for you in winning the cup?

All my players stepped up, and it was great to end the football season on a high note. We had the highest ratio of Brownites to non-Brownites, which posed its challenges. Most of my players were medical and dental students whose academic schedules clashed with the league and cup games. Fatigue was inevitable since they also had to feature in their departmental tournaments. A few players were nursing injuries but still showed up week after week, ensuring we had something significant to take home. Their resilience and dedication made all the difference.

How were you able to build team chemistry and manage the calibre of players at your disposal?

The bulk of the team was from the MBBDS Class of 2K23, with one member from 2K21. They had already played together in various class, departmental, and hall tournaments, so this wasn’t their first time working as a unit. This familiarity made it easier for them to call each other out when necessary and build camaraderie. Additionally, most of the team members had experience in amateur football. Everyone put their egos aside and played their part, which was key to achieving our collective goal of winning the FA Cup.

What was the most challenging part of this journey, and how did you and your team overcome it?

Our lacklustre performance in the league heading into the FA Cup almost derailed us. Blazers FC were considered favourites for both the league and the cup at the start of the season, but our league campaign didn’t meet expectations due to several factors.
We held a meeting among the team members and management to identify our shortcomings and strategize before the cup began. This paid off—we almost defeated the eventual league leaders in the first game (the game ended as a draw), beat the second-place team in the second round, and triumphed over the third-place team in the final. It was tasking, but all credit goes to the players for stepping up and making the difference.

Are there individuals or groups you would like to acknowledge for their support in winning this cup?

The ABH FA deserves accolades for organizing a well-run cup tournament that became the talk of the entire University of Ibadan football community.
Special thanks go to the owner of Blazers FC, whose magnanimity played a huge role in our success, even after our disappointing league campaign. I also appreciate my assistant coach, Abdullateef Yusuf, for always stepping up.
Past Blazers FC players, like Dr. Adepoju Ridwan (Gbolly) and Dr. Toni provided immense support as we claimed the FA Cup for the second time in three seasons.
I’d also like to thank Jamiu, Temi, Faeji, the 2K23 MBBDS class, and all the well-wishers of Blazers FC. Your support has been invaluable.

From hindsight, what mistakes do you think you made at one point or the other in the league, and perhaps in the cup campaign?

Where do I start?

My main issue was player recruitment before the league season and during the mid-season. I had verbal agreements with some players who later reneged on their commitments. This disrupted our league campaign as I couldn’t field the necessary players for both the league and the cup.
That said, things eventually worked out as I adapted and made do with the players I had. I guess the challenges only made our success in the FA Cup, even sweeter.