Usman Abd'Allah
Usman Abd'Allah | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 16, 1974 Kano State, Nigeria |
| Occupation | Football manager |
| Known for | Head coach of Enyimba International Football Club; Third Assistant Coach for Nigeria Super Eagles |
Usman Abd'Allah (born 16 June 1974) is a Nigerian-French football manager currently leading Enyimba International Football Club as its head coach.
Early life
Abd'Allah was born in Kano State, Nigeria. He completed his primary education at Tarauni Primary School and attended Government Secondary School in Kazaure. In 1989, he graduated with a degree in chemical engineering from Kaduna State Polytechnic.
Player
Abd'Allah’s football playing tenure covered multiple continents, including Africa, Asia, and Europe. Within Nigeria, his club affiliations included Sanka Vipers (Kano), UNTL (Kaduna), Rocks (Kaduna), Stationery Stores (Lagos), and Mogas 90 (Benin Republic). He also participated in Kano State’s academic and festival teams and represented Nigeria at the Under-20 and Under-23 levels alongside his brother, Hassan Abd'Allah.
In 1991, he became part of Al Arabic FC and had a spell with Bayer Leverkusen. His career in Asia saw him play for clubs such as Jurong FC, Khalsa FC, and Gombak United FC in Singapore, Sheikh Russel KC in Bangladesh, and Kalantan FC in Malaysia. He ended his playing days in France with Bollene FC and FC Sete, retiring in 2006 while at a club competing in France’s second division.
Coach
Abd'Allah initiated his coaching career within the French lower leagues, working with EPS FC, FC Sete, FC Frontignan, and Bollene FC. He holds UEFA B and UEFA A coaching licenses acquired in England and has completed various training programs including CAF courses and a Level 1 Strength and Conditioning certification from Australia. His credentials also encompass football coaching and team management qualifications from Le CREPS de Montpellier in France, NCAP Level 1 certification from Singapore, as well as the LaLiga Coaching Certificate.
He has managed teams across Asia and France and currently occupies the roles of Head Coach and Technical Adviser at Enyimba International FC—an esteemed club boasting two African Champions League titles, eight Nigerian Professional Football League championships, and four Federation Cups. Additionally, Usman serves as the Third Assistant Coach for the Nigeria Super Eagles.
Prior to his appointment at Enyimba, he was assistant coach at Kano Pillars FC in Nigeria while also overseeing their youth squad. Initially joining Enyimba as assistant to Paul Aigbogun, he was subsequently elevated to Head Coach. Under his guidance, the club reached the CAF Confederation Cup semi-finals but were eliminated by Morocco’s Raja Casablanca.
During the 2018/19 season, Abd'Allah led Enyimba to clinch the Nigeria Professional Football League championship, finishing ahead of Kano Pillars.
Marriage and family
Usman Abd'Allah possesses dual citizenship of Nigeria and France. He is married to a French national, and they have twin daughters. The family resides in France.