NPFL: Shooting Stars Sack Gbenga Ogunbote, Entire Management Team

Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan have cut ties with head coach Gbenga Ogunbote and the entire management staff following a lacklustre performance in the just-concluded 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season.

The Oluyole Warriors ended the campaign in eighth place, registering 15 wins, 9 draws, and 14 losses in 38 matches, a finish that fell short of both fan and boardroom expectations.

Club chairman, Lekan Salami, led the decision to part ways with Ogunbote, his backroom staff, and the General Manager, Dimeji Lawal.

The decision was made “with immediate effect,” as the club begins an aggressive restructuring ahead of the 2025/2026 season.

Gbenga Ogunbote, a seasoned tactician widely regarded for his past stints at Enyimba, Remo Stars, Lobi Stars, and Sunshine Stars, had been in charge of Shooting Stars for two years and 11 months, rejoining the Ibadan side for a third spell in August 2022.

His departure brings an end to a tenure marked by moments of promise but ultimately overshadowed by inconsistency. Dimeji Lawal, a former player and long-time servant of the club, has also been shown the exit door.

According to Punch, former Shooting Stars coach Edith Agoye is being lined up for a potential return to the dugout, though no official announcement has been made.

Meanwhile, Ogunbote’s managerial journey may not be over just yet. Reports indicate he is back on the radar of Kano Pillars, a club that had previously approached him earlier in the transfer window. At the time, he had rejected their offer, choosing instead to see out his contract with Shooting Stars.

Now that he is a free agent, talks are expected to resume. If both parties reach an agreement, Ogunbote could be unveiled as the new boss of Sai Masu Gida in the coming weeks.