•Disappointed over FA Cup loss
Lobi Stars Technical Adviser, Justin Tenger has retired from football after 25 years of coaching football clubs in the country, SportingLife can exclusively reveal.
Tenger quit after Lobi Stars were defeated 2-1 by Akwa United in Sunday’s 2015 Federation Cup final at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.
The experienced coach told SportingLife that he will retire to his village, Ajikpo London in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State.
“We will go back home and whatever the decision the management takes I will accept. From Lobi Stars I am retiring to my village at Ajikpo London, Kwande Local Government, Benue State. I am not ready to take any coaching job from any club again. I will no longer coach any club in Nigeria. I am done with coaching,” Tenger exclusively told SportingLife.
Tenger said he is satisfied with his achievement of coaching for 25 years.
“My coaching career has been fruitful; it has been a very successful one. If you look at my age, you will understand that the situation in the country can no longer allow me to continue. I am 65 years old; travelling for a match and sitting down in a bus for almost nine to ten hours puts too much strain on me . At this age I cannot take the strain anymore. I know people and people know me across Africa. I have played in the continent with different clubs. So I am satisfied with what I have achieved in coaching,” Tenger said.
The former Niger Tornadoes handler said his boys played below expectation in yesterday’s Federation Cup final against Akwa United.
“The boys played below expectation and I was surprised with the way my players played today. We surrendered the midfield to Akwa United. Tactically, everything was wrong, the team was faulty,” he said.
Tenger won the first FA Cup trophy as a coach when he guided defunct BCC Lions of Gboko to victory in 1997. He also won a league trophy with Katsina United in 2000. He has coached so many clubs in the Nigerian league.