The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Tornadoes

  • Spotlight spoil fun for Tornadoes

    Niger Tornadoes goalkeeper, Mustapha Aliko is a very sad man after his side fell 0-3 at Spotlight in the Nigeria National League (NNL) Matchday 21 on Saturday in Katsina.

    Again, officiating officials got a thumbs down as an ugly scene was averted following crowd dissatisfaction with the referees’ performance. Aliko said his side have decided to march forward to reclaim the points in the subsequent matches.

    “I’m really down and sad over the defeat; same applies to my teammates. As we speak the camp is like a graveyard, so quiet that a stranger may be forced to think we lost a human being. We’re angry not that we were beaten by a wide margin but because the referees heavily assisted our opponents to victory.

    “Their calls were targeted against us and it was difficult for us to play our own game. At a point we made moves to discontinue with the game but was prevailed against doing it in the interest of the game,” Aliko, who is the captain of his side, said to supersport.com.

    Aliko however said that his side have resolved that their next game opponents will not leave Minna with any score line less than four unreplied goals.

    “We’ve decided to discontinue lamenting the loss but to look forward to the next matches. We just had a short meeting where we decided that the next opponents will suffer heavy defeats; nothing less than four goals will be satisfactory to us. We have to recover the points quickly so as not to derail our promotion ambition to the premier league at the end of the season,” he said.

    The huge defeat has left the Minna-based side stuck on 32 points from a possible 63.

  • Tornadoes set to name new coach

    Tornadoes set to name new coach

    The new technical adviser of the Nigeria National League (NNL) side, Niger Tornadoes is expected to be made public on or before Friday, May 17.

    Already the management of the Minna-based side has received five applications from coaches interested to be considered for the plum job.

    The management of the side was unequivocal in its choice of a technical adviser as it stated clearly that any coach currently unattached need not apply for the job.

    The committee saddled with the responsibility to scrutinise the curriculum vitae of the coaches will sit today and Friday to ratify one of the coaches to the management for approval to head the promotion-chasing side.

    Niger Tornadoes recently severed relationship with their technical adviser, Godwin Uwua on some irreconcilable differences while the assistant coach, Hamza Mohammed has been in charge of the side until a substantive head is appointed.

    An official of the side, Suleiman Isah said the management wants to finish everything concerning the technical adviser’s job before their NNL Matchday 21 encounter at Spotlight in Kano this weekend.

    “We want to conclude everything about the technical adviser’s position before our game at Spotlight in Kano this weekend.

    “Definitely, the committee will sit over the five applications received either tomorrow (Thursday) or next tomorrow (Friday) and recommend the best suited for the job to the management for approval. For now the identities of the coaches will be protected until we’re done with our job.

    “Of course, we welcomed all coaches irrespective of the league they ply their trade but we insisted as the main criteria that the applicant must be currently attached. Hopefully, the new man will be known before the close of work on Friday or before we hit the pitch against Spotlight in Kano this weekend.

    “The successful coach will be mandated to ensure the side return to the premier league at the end of the current season,” he said to supersport.com.

    Isah disassociated his side from an alleged report that former Super Falcons’ coach, Bala Nkiyu has been approached for the job at the monthly salary of N850,000.

    “The alleged report is 100% false as no such thing has taken place. In fact, the said coach is not even among the five coaches to be interviewed for the job. He is automatically ruled out from the race for the technical adviser’s job as some reports of his person do not qualify him for the exalted post,” he said.

    Niger Tornadoes are third on the NNL Division A log on 32 points, two points shy of leaders, Giwa FC.

  • Tornadoes set to name Nikyu as coach

    Niger Tornadoes FC of Minna are to engage the services of former Nassarawa United Technical Adviser Bala Nikyu.

    A source close to the team informed SportingLife in Abuja at the weekend that the management of Tornadoes has decided to settle for the highly mobile coach with a respectable track record.

    “We are discussing with Coach Bala Nikyu to come and take over the team since Coach Godwin Uwa abandoned us half way. Bala is very experienced, and has all the technical qualities we need. He is our best bet for now. But, our discussion is still ongoing; I am confident that before the week runs out, we would have tidied up all the grey areas”.

    When contacted, the former Super Falcons Assistant Coach refused to comment but confirmed that the team had contacted him and that discussions are still in progress. He promised to make details available immediately all areas are tidied up.”

    The Kaduna State-born coach had handled teams like SEC FC of Abuja, FC Abuja, Wikki Tourists of Bauchi, Plateau United FC of Jos among others. He led Nassarawa United to the premiership last season. He was the Assistant Coach of the Super Falcons to the South Africa 2010 Africa Women Championship and the World Cup in Germany. He was the pioneer National U-13 team coach in 2007. Currently, he is the Technical Adviser of FRSC of Abuja.

  • NATIONAL LEAGUE CAMPAIGN: Tornadoes hand players

    NATIONAL LEAGUE CAMPAIGN: Tornadoes hand players

    Fresh from the pain of relegation and determined to begin on a clean slate, the management of Niger Tornadoes has ordered players still interested in playing for the side to report to camp latest Sunday or seek succour elsewhere.

    The Abdullahi Abdul Paiko-led management also announced that it had fixed a crucial meeting for Tuesday to study the technical report submitted by coach Justin Tenger, and detemine the way forward for the Minna-based side that finished 17th on 48 points from 36 matches just before bowing out of the Nigeria Premeir League.

    The management had a few weeks ago directed Tenger to submit his report on the team’s overall performance in the league and eventual relegation. Spokesman of the side, Suleiman Isah confirmed in a chat with SportingLife that the report had been received, adding that the action to be taken will be based on findings in the technical report after the Tuesday meeting.

    “Tuesday’s meeting is to study the technical report submitted by the Coach. He had been asked to submit the report weeks back and he has just submitted it. Changes that will be made will be dependent on that report.

    “As for the players they have been told to report to camp latest Sunday and those who fail to report should not regard themselves as members of the new team,” he said.