General Manager of Plateau United, Habila Hosea Mutla, has indicated that the club is leaning toward retaining head coach Mbwas Mangut for the 2025/26 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season, citing the importance of continuity and stability.
Mangut guided Plateau United to a 7th-place finish in the recently concluded season, collecting 54 points from 38 matches. The team’s campaign was hindered by a three-point deduction after crowd trouble during a home game against Rangers. This setback led the club hierarchy to issue Mangut a three-match ultimatum mid-season.
Despite the pressure, the club stood by Mangut, a decision Mutla now considers wise. “It would have been suicidal to sack him then. Where would we get a better coach at that stage?” he said.
Mutla praised the coach for steadying the ship and insists that parting ways now would be unwise. “You don’t let go of the fowl that laid the golden egg unless he chooses to leave on his own,” he said.
Looking ahead, Mutla stressed the value of minimal squad changes and a strong pre-season. “You don’t keep sacking players in large numbers season after season. That’s not the way,” he added. “A good and early beginning makes for a better ending.”
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Editorial
In a league too often defined by short-termism and panic decisions, Plateau United’s approach to Mbwas Mangut’s tenure offers a rare and welcome dose of wisdom. Rather than bow to fan pressure or poor mid-season form, the club chose patience and it paid off.
We often hear that continuity breeds success, yet few Nigerian clubs practise what they preach. In retaining Mangut, Plateau United are showing that they’re ready to buck that trend. It’s a lesson for the entire NPFL: stability is not a weakness it’s a strength.
What’s commendable isn’t just the loyalty, but the realism. Mutla understood that firing a coach mid-season would have plunged the club into chaos. More importantly, he recognised that sacking staff is not a strategy it’s a reaction. And when you’ve got a coach whose methods are just beginning to click, changing course is not brave it’s reckless.
This decision also sends a message to players. Trust the process. Buy into the coach’s philosophy. Because here, at least, the boss won’t be swapped out like kit at half-time.
We hope this commitment extends beyond Mangut and reflects a deeper culture shift at Plateau United. With strategic recruitment and the promised focus on a strong pre-season, the club might just be ready to move from mid-table solidity to title contention.
Did You Know?
- Plateau United won their first and only NPFL title in the 2016/2017 season under coach Kennedy Boboye.
- Mbwas Mangut previously worked as an assistant coach before taking the helm midway through the 2024/25 season.
- The club’s three-point deduction in 2024/25 stemmed from crowd disturbances during a home game against Enugu Rangers.
- Jos, home to Plateau United, has produced notable Nigerian footballers like Mikel Obi and Ahmed Musa.
- Continuity in coaching is rare in the NPFL—over 70% of clubs changed managers at least once during the 2023/24 season.
