Niger Tornadoes’ players

The Niger Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has directed the management and technical crew of Niger Tornadoes FC of Minna to win their next five matches or face sack.

The ministry handed the threat to the team’s managers and coaches Saturday in Minna.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in the ongoing 2017/2018 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) now in Match Day 10, Tornadoes had played seven matches, won two, one home and one away.

NAN also reports that out of the matches the club lost three away matches and two home matches.

“The ministry has viewed with dismay the dismal performance of the club from Match Day 3 of the league to the extent that five matches have been played and lost which is detrimental to the fortunes of the club and to Nigerlites in general.

“In this regard the management is issuing a stern matching order to the management of the club and the technical crew, henceforth from this Sunday’s match up to the next four matches.

“We want to see the club up the league table as any loss may result to outright need for a change,’’ it said in a statement.

Reacting, Mustapha Gawu, the club’s Chairman told NAN that since the management committee was inaugurated on Jan. 4 this year, before the league started, the state government had not disbursed any money to it.

Gawu said that out of the N7 million monthly running cost of the club approved by Gov. Abubakar Bello, no money has been disbursed.

He said that the small fund inherited from the past management had been expended, attributing the dismal performance to lack of funding.

“If you give somebody job, you will provide the person with the necessary tool to succeed. The ministry has not done so and they expect us to perform magic.

“Right now we are borrowing money to run the club; even the little we borrow is insufficient. We are handicapped; the ministry should help us out.

“We are trying our best to move the club forward but lack of funds is our problem,’’ he said. (NAN)