Football fans in Ilorin are not strangers to the scramble for the top coaching job at Kwara United, the city's biggest club.

It has since become a ritual and almost everyone who comes to watch the team play wants to tell the manager how to play.

Perhaps, to compound the manager's predicament, his employers never give him a free-hand to do the job.

In fact, the legendary Kadiri Ikhana fought a long battle to prove his supremacy at the club.

For a team that has never won the Nigerian title, the biggest news remains the Machiavellian tactics deployed by candidates and their allies interested in the managerial position at the club.

Every season presents a unique challenge for the gaffer and the situation wasn't different last term.

Former captain, Tunde Sanni, survived attempts to replace him before and during the just concluded season, but lost the battle.

Sanni now has a tougher battle ahead to retain his position, which was declared vacant.

The fact that the position was declared vacant and he was directed to re-apply after leading the team to 6th position shows the insincerity of his former employers.

Nevertheless, Sanni remains optimistic that he will get the job again.

"I'm confident the job will be given to me. We had several problems, but still finished well," Sanni said to supersport.com.

A long list of coaches was initially lined up for the job, but the figure has been reduced to 12.

Also in the race is Baba Ganaru, who led Kano Pillars to the league title and his presence has thrown up more questions than answers.

Based on his recent achievement at Pillars, many believe he is the man to beat.

All shortlisted coaches will take turns for an interview at the Kwara State Sports Council Conference Room on Wednesday to determine the next gaffer of the club formed from defunct Kwara State Utility Bombers (Kwasu).

As expected, the new manager will get a year's contract, but is that enough to turn the Ilorin side into league champions?

The Candidates

1. Baba Ganaru
2. Tunde Sanni
3. Fatai Amao
4. Festus Allen
5. Samson Unuanel
6. Alphonsus Dike
7. Lawrence Akpokona
8. Henry Nwosu
9. Abimbola Samuel
10. Samuel Akintola
11. Justin Tenger
12. Lodewijk de Kruif (Dutch)