By John Egbokhan

Coach Okey Emordi has been handed a final chance to prove his worth at Kano Pillars, who weekend crashed out of the preliminary round of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League.

Pillars lost 4-3 on aggregate score to D.R. Congo’s side AS Vita, a result that did not go down well with the Kano State government, who subsequent sacked the club;s management committee, chaired by Aba Yolo, who was a former top shot at the National Sports Commission in Abuja.

It was the second time in a row that the Nigerian league champions were failing in the preliminary round of Africa’s biggest club competition. And upset with the team’s s failure, Ahmed Gara Gombe, who is the Special Adviser on Sports to Governor Rabiu Kwankawo, while defending the massive clear-out of the management committee, said that Pillars’ ouster was unacceptable to the people of Kano State, who have invested a lot of money in ensuring that the club succeed on the continent.

Speaking in an interview with Sports Vanguard, Gara-Gombe admitted that Emordi was not to blame for the failure, pointing out that he could not have achieved success overnight within the short period he joined the two-time league champions.

But he warned that from henceforth that Emordi will be held responsible for the team’s success and failure.

“Emordi is not to blame for the failure of Kano Pillars. Those to blame have been relieved of their duties but from now on, Emordi is in charge of the team and he will be accountable for the results posted by the team”, said Gara-Gombe, who added that Emordi was going to be empowered to sign-on players before the commencement of the league next month.

“We are giving him the free hand to recruit the players he feels can help us succeed. He is the one in charge and we are going to give him all the support he needs to succeed with this great club”, Gara-Gombe said.