Shooting Stars have appointed experienced Nigerian coach Salisu Yusuf as their new Technical Adviser ahead of the 2026/27 season.
The Oluyole Warriors confirmed Yusuf’s appointment in a statement on Friday, bringing an end to the club’s search for a new coach following the departure of Nurudeen Aweroro.
Aweroro left Shooting Stars after guiding the Ibadan club to a third place finish in the 2025/26 NPFL season and securing continental football for the first time in 27 years.
Shooting Stars will now entrust the team to Yusuf as they prepare for a demanding campaign that will involve both domestic and continental football.
Yusuf brings more than two decades of coaching experience to the club, having started his managerial career with Nasarawa United in 2002 before going on to work with several of Nigeria’s leading clubs.
The 64-year-old has coached Kano Pillars, Rangers International and Enyimba, while his most recent club appointment was at Coton Sport in Benin.
His experience also extends to the international level, where he has served as an assistant coach of the Super Eagles and worked with the Super Eagles B and Nigeria U-23 teams.
One of the notable achievements of his coaching career came in 2018 when he guided Nigeria’s home based Super Eagles to the final of the African Nations Championship in Morocco.
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Shooting Stars believe that experience will be particularly valuable as the club prepares to balance the demands of the NPFL with its return to continental competition.
Yusuf also has previous experience of managing Rangers, where he worked in Nigerian domestic football at the highest level, giving him familiarity with the pressures associated with competing for honours and developing local talent.
His appointment comes shortly after Shooting Stars had been linked with former Rangers coach Imama Amapakabo as one of the leading candidates for the vacant position.
Amapakabo had emerged as an option because of his experience in the NPFL and continental football, but the club have ultimately opted for Yusuf, who brings an extensive national-team and domestic coaching background.
The appointment also gives Shooting Stars an experienced figure to lead their preparations for what promises to be one of the club’s most significant seasons in recent years.
Having ended a long wait for continental football under Aweroro, the Oluyole Warriors will now look to Yusuf to build on that progress and ensure they remain competitive on both fronts.
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Shooting Stars said they were confident that the new Technical Adviser would provide strong leadership and tactical expertise as the club pursues its ambitions in domestic and continental competitions.
