The head coach of Katsina United Henry Makinwa a UEFA Pro License holder harbours realistic dreams of managing a national team and subsequently coaching a football club in Europe.
The vastly exposed Obafemi Awolowo University lle-lfe graduate merchant tactician represented 17 clubs in 11 countries during his professional career.
Known in Portugal as Maki, Makinwa started his coaching career in Nigeria with Abubakar Bukola Saraki Football Club of Ilorin, in 2016 and used his tactical masterpiece to promote the side to Nigeria Professional Football League after just a season in Nigeria National League.
“Actually, I came to the country with the primary objective to become a national team coach, l have the ambition of managing football in Europe and before you can be accepted in European market, you have to do something nice with the national team.
“Where can I have this option is to come back home, some of my friends and teammates branded and tongue lashed me crazy for leaving the comfort of Europe but I knew what I wanted to do.
“l know if I come to local league, football administrators would see what I can do and might just give me the opportunity to manage the national team,” he told Family United By Football (FUBF) the foremost Soccer Platform.
Makinwa who joined Abia Warriors two days before the start of the 2018/2019 NPFL season later moved to another premier league side Katsina United at the beginning of the current campaign and ensured that ‘Changi Boys’ have broken the jinx of losing away games having amassed 7 points away from home this season.
“I have the biggest license in football and I played top European clubs for 15 years, l equally played for national team so what do I need to have? This is my third year in the elite division, l think l have a reason to be given a chance.
“Actually, l have the target of possibly bagging the plumb job of U-23 or U-20, that’s where the world will look at you and that’s where the football is and l hope when it is time, the opportunity will come since they know my standard and what I can offer,” Makinwa who moved to Rayo Vallecano in Spain at the age of 19 last played for Concord FC in Nigeria concluded.