Salisu Yusuf he moved to Lobi Stars as an assistant coach and helping them win the National Challenge Cup (now Nigerian FA Cup) in 2003. He later moved to Dolphins F.C. where he worked as assistant coach until 2008 when he joined Kano Pillars as chief coach and eventually led them to win the 2008 Nigeria Premier League title. In 2009, the Nigeria Football Federation employed Yusuf as assistant coach to Samson Siasia who was serving as the head coach of the Nigeria national football team. Yusuf was still working with Siasia when Kano Pillars appointed him as technical adviser in 2010,
Heartland F.C. won the Federation Cup, its first silverware since its last league win in 1993. Heartland defeated highly fancied Enyimba 1-0 thanks to a late first half goal by their captain, Chinedu Efugh. 2012: Heartland retained its 2011 cup win by defeating Lobi Stars 2-1 in the finals held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos thereby winning it again in 2012. Ending 18th in the 2016 Nigeria Professional Football League ensured the club went on relegation for the first time since its 40-year existence. On the final day of the season, Heartland abandoned their game against Plateau United in the