3SC’s Bold Overhaul: A Big Decision For A Bigger Future ||By Seye Adedoja*

_The Tough but Right Path to Future Glory_

Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan is not just another football team — it is a symbol of Nigerian football heritage.

Founded in 1963, 3SC stands tall as one of the most iconic and successful clubs in the country’s football history.

From producing legendary players like Segun Odegbami and Rashidi Yekini to winning Nigeria’s first continental title, the African Cup Winners’ Cup in 1976 the Oluyole Warriors have long been a beacon of excellence, pride, and tradition.

Yet, over the past two decades, the club has seen its glory fade, oscillating between the top flight and the lower league, often underperforming in a league it once dominated. Despite glimpses of promise and flashes of form, the consistency and ambition that once defined 3SC have largely been missing.

Against this backdrop, the recent restructuring led by the club’s chairman, Honourable Taiwo Lekan Salami, must be understood not as an act of desperation, but as a bold step to restore the club’s rightful place in Nigerian and African football.

This article explores why the decision to overhaul the club’s technical, management, and media teams is not just timely, but necessary — and why it might be the reset 3SC needs to rise again.

For a club like Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC), one of Nigeria’s most storied football institutions, poor performance should never be normalized no matter how polished it looks on paper. That is why the recent sweeping restructuring initiated by the club’s chairman, Honourable Taiwo Lekan Salami, should not only be welcomed but applauded as a necessary step toward restoring the pride and pedigree of 3SC.

Chairman Salami, in a move both courageous and strategic, relieved the club’s entire technical crew, management, and media team of their duties. While the decision may appear drastic to some, the truth is this: if 3SC is serious about achieving continental relevance and competing among Africa’s elite, it can no longer afford to operate with sentiment or complacency.

Coach Gbenga Ogunbote, no doubt, brought some level of stability during his three-season spell. He holds the record for leading the team to its best NPFL finish in 26 years — 4th place in the 2023/24 season — and maintained a 40% win rate in 94 league games. However, the bigger question remains: was that enough? The simple answer is no.

Ogunbote came in with a loud promise — to return 3SC to the continent. Despite a competitive squad and strong financial backing, including being one of the highest-paid coaches in the NPFL, that goal was never realized. In any performance-driven industry, particularly football, results are the ultimate measure of success. Sentiment cannot substitute for silverware, and loyalty should never outweigh legacy.

Chairman Salami understands this deeply. His decision to clear out the old guard is not about scapegoating individuals but about reengineering the foundation upon which future success will be built. Every world-class football club that has risen from underachievement to greatness whether in Nigeria, Africa, or Europe has undergone painful but essential internal transformations. Culture resets are never easy, but they are often necessary.

By choosing to install leadership he can trust, build a modern football structure, and ensure alignment with long-term goals, Salami is signaling that 3SC is ready to compete not just for league stability, but for continental honor and domestic dominance.

Some have argued that this move might unsettle players or fans loyal to the former regime. But the truth is, no individual, coach, player, or official is bigger than the club. Any player whose commitment is tied to a coach rather than the badge has no place in a team chasing greatness. Loyalty must be to the mission, not personalities.

Rather than predicting doom before a ball is even kicked, supporters and stakeholders must rally behind this vision. Change is uncomfortable, but so is stagnation. For 3SC to take its rightful place on the continental stage once again, tough decisions like this are not just justified — they are long overdue.

The message is clear: the days of playing it safe are over. The future of 3SC will not be built on caution or nostalgia, but on courage, clarity, and a commitment to excellence. Honourable Salami has taken the bull by the hornand in doing so, he have just set the club on a right path to it’s past glory.