Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES after the title-clinching triumph, Ilechukwu reflected on his long-standing connection with Lagos football and the influence the city has had on his coaching career
Fidelis Ilechukwu has described Lagos as his “home” after guiding Rangers International FC to the 2025/2026 Nigeria Premier Football League title with another victory in the commercial city.
Rangers sealed their ninth league crown on Sunday following a tense 2-1 victory over Ikorodu City FC at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, capping off a remarkable run.
Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES after the title-clinching triumph, Ilechukwu reflected on his long-standing connection with Lagos football and the influence the city has had on his coaching career.
“Lagos is home always for me because I’ve worked here, I’ve lived here, I’ve been here for more than 30 years,” Ilechukwu said.
“They love me here. It’s a place that has no sentiment.
“It’s a place that I always work with love. I believe that if we come here and play well, we are going to win because Nigerian football is open.”
The victory further strengthened Ilechukwu’s growing reputation as one of the most respected coaches in Nigerian domestic football.
Popularly known as “The Working One,” the Rangers coach built much of his managerial identity in Lagos during his transformative spell with MFM FC.
During his 13-year stint, Ilechukwu took the modest Lagos-based club from the lower ranks to the pianacle.
Under his leadership, the club secured promotion to the NPFL in 2015 and quickly evolved into one of the most entertaining and tactically organised sides in the country.
MFM finished runners-up in the 2017 NPFL season behind Plateau United, narrowly missing out on the league title but securing a historic qualification for the CAF Champions League — the club’s first continental appearance.
During that period, Ilechukwu became widely admired for developing young talents and implementing an aggressive attacking philosophy that transformed MFM into one of the league’s biggest stories.
His work in Lagos also earned him opportunities with other major NPFL clubs, including Heartland FC and later Plateau United FC before his eventual appointment at Rangers.
Since arriving in Enugu, Ilechukwu has restored Rangers to the summit of Nigerian football, blending tactical discipline with attacking efficiency.
The Enugu club finished the season with the league’s best defensive record while also maintaining one of the strongest attacking returns in the division.
For Ilechukwu, Sunday’s feat in Lagos represented more than just another away victory. It was a title-winning moment achieved in the city where much of his coaching journey began.
