The IFUMSA Football League (IFL) is a major highlight of the sports arm of the OAU Medical Students’ Association. And for two seasons now, the tournament has earned the to-watch-for tag from participants and other football-loving IFUMSAites.
A few weeks ago, the first season ended in an exhilarating record win for the Expynos team, as other partaking classes trailed behind.
A MediVoice correspondent met with the head coach of the Magna Medicos (Part 1) squad in an exclusive interview. This is what he has to say about his team’s performance in relation to the concluded IFL.
Interview with AdulMuizz
Medivoice: This is your team’s first-ever competition within IFUMSA, how will you describe your team’s performance in this season’s league?
AbdulMuizz: Well, without saying too much. All I can say is we are getting better, this will be the first time we ( MAGNA medicos) team will be playing more than two- three matches in just a space of one month, just as everyone adapts to a new system, we will adapt with time
I will say our performance is a little above average, and for every match we played we got better.
MediVoice: Considering you’re new to the system, how did you assess the team’s strengths and weaknesses in order to assemble your squad prior to the season?
AbdulMuizz: This is a very big question, about the strength, all I can say is we will try our best not to slack in them, at least we have one of the best keepers in Ifumsa ( I can say best sef 🌚😂) and of course our defense is a force you won’t wanna reckon with .
Our weaknesses will be from the aspect that we don’t have the perfect team cooperation yet, maybe cause we are just playing together or better still, eveyone is yet to discover their perfect position and role, with more training session and perfect supervision, all these will be rectified before future league matches 💪
MediVoice: What were the primary challenges the team faced during the season? Were there any specific factors, such as injuries or player availability, that impacted the team’s performance? If so, how did you adapt to those challenges?
AbdulMuizz: Infact this is a very very solid reason that led to the poor performance of our team, let me use the phrase “ UNAVAILABILITY COMPLEX”, In all the matches that we played, none of it had our “starting eleven starting as the starting eleven” ( forgive my repetition 😅) ,
Today, Josh is indisposed. Tomorrow, Mughniy forgot to eat sahur 😂
Lot of things came up, so we had no choice than to use the players we had. Of course they are also wonderful players but, you know how things are- starting eleven takes priority over all.
I can say the primary problem is “ UNAVAILABILITY OF PLAYERS “,
Also, a little bit of issues came from the side of formation too, setting the right formation and having no choice but to use someone who ought to be a midfielder or forward as a defender is something we had to deal with too since our so-called defenders were ….. 🤦♂🤦♂
And we have sanctioned them and they promised to always be available for future matches, at least that is a positive 💪
MediVoice: What strategies or tactics did you implement to help improve the team’s performance during matches? In retrospect, are there any decisions you would change looking back at the season’s outcome for your squad?
AbdulMuizz: About strategies, I and my assistant have been devising new and better ways to make the team better and I believe with time we will be witnessing a new MAGNA medicos team, we will be so unpalatable just like the “FUMARPROTOCENTRARIC ACID” in lichen 🤭😅, the only decision I would love to change is the coach – players relationship and the player – player relationship ( very important)
MediVoice: How did you manage team morale and motivation during times when results were not as expected?
AbdulMuizz: I have a lot to work on that aspect actually, I am not really a vocal person, but I do ask myself, Lekan, then why did you decide to pick up this role ?, the only answer I can give to that is; man you gat to man up and shout when necessary, praise when necessary, correct and reprimand when necessary, in past matches, all I have done is just to encourage them not to give up especially if we are losing the game after the first half, but, I can finally say I have improved on that aspect ( I mean the vocal aspect) and my boys will be seeing a vocalistic coolzkiddo soon😂
MediVoice: What steps did you take to adapt and respond to the performance of opposing teams throughout the season?
AbdulMuizz: First things first, we changed the formation cause I had a feeling that we didn’t use the appropriate formation and all, so formatted was the main thing that I remember I changed numerously, plus the aspect of team
Work, I noticed that our seniors ( part two – part six ) know how to cooperate with one another due to the fact that they have been together for years and are used to their positions, I tried to adjust things after every first half so we can start to apply pressure in points that the seniors were strong, well it worked and it didn’t
What are we to do?
I will still say it, we need years to understand one another and we will once we train more and more.
MediVoice: How did you communicate and collaborate with your coaching assistants and players to work towards analyzing and improving the team’s performance?
AbdulMuizz: Infact, I and my assistant have a very good relationship with each other even though our decision-making process might be different times, we still have that close relationship, and with the team, my boys are very attentive, they listen to every little thing I have to say to them, my assistant do more talking than I do cause he is a little bit more vocal, but, we do the work together, leaving the team, I have a very strong “ IONIC BOND “ with my boys from day one ( spanning from the time of admission till date 😂) so I kinda understand ways to enter them and talk to them even when some of them are reluctant atimes or feel so low after working so hard for the team and not getting the necessary result, and I know in future days, the bond won’t be dissociated , I believe 😂💪
MediVoice: Did you receive feedback from the players, class members, or assistants that helped identify areas for improvement? How did you incorporate that feedback into your coaching approach?
AbdulMuizz: Of course I did, several times sef , many a times when some of my boys will come to my dm telling me some mistakes they are noticing as we were playing our league matches and I made sure I investigated as science will say” Investigate and go through the right process before you put forth a theory or law 😂”, some have been helpful, some I didn’t consider them.
MediVoice: What lessons have you learned from this season?
AbdulMuizz: Okay, the first thing I learnt is for the development and betterment of a team, it is the joint work of the coach and his players, just as Udah and Ayala said institutions are the rulers of the game and the economic agents are the players
They work together, I have learnt that more and more training should also be conducted so players can get better in terms of agility, fitness, gameplay, and cooperation.
MediVoice: Looking ahead, what steps do you plan to take to address the team’s performance depth as it stands to ensure better results in the future?
AbdulMuizz: I plan to bring in new tactics, new forms of training drills, and if possible more matches with other departments so we can get better. Infact we are planning something with other departments in the College of health sciences and we should all anticipate it, that is all. Thank you for your time
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