Can you remember Ayodeji Fuja Tope? The lanky Nigerian coach was in charge of Mohammedan Sporting for three years and under his guidance Mohammedan Sporting once rose to prominence, defeating both the Kolkata giants East Bengal and Mohun Bagan in the CFL Premier League in 2014. 

Fuja Tope left Kolkata in 2018 and joined Nepalese premier team Manang Marshyangdi FC, guiding the team to clinch the Buddha Subbah Gold Cup and Rahhra Gold Cup. He also won the best coach's award in Nepal for the 2018-19. 

The 55-year-old coach has joined a premier West African team AS Cotonou in June this year and already steered the team to reach the top of its group in the ongoing league. 

Speaking to Parallel Sports from Cotonou, a city of Benin Fuja said, “The league has nine groups consisting of four teams each and we are on the top of our group. Four teams from each group will qualify and 16 teams will be participating in the Super Cup. The champion and runner-up will earn qualification for the African Champions League.” 

Fuja whose contract is supposed to end in June this year, might continue after being verbally requested by the club president. 

Fuja has a desire to join a French team soon and he feels he can get offers from any lower-division French team. He revealed, “If the team can qualify for the African Champions League then I have a chance to get offers from any French team. I want to join the mainstream of the world football.” 

Fuja at the same time said he is happy to see Mohammedan Sporting’s impressive run in the ongoing I-league. He stated, “I feel the key factor behind the team’s performance is the support from administration which I hardly had during my tenure.”