Coach Majin not the problem of Niger Tornadoes

One of the issues that easily pitches football coaches against fans is poor substitution. A wrong substitution can disrupt a team’s momentum and expose a manager’s tactical errors. Fans invest enormous emotional energy in matches, and a single questionable decision can quickly turn the atmosphere in a stadium hostile. Substitution is, therefore, one of the trickiest aspects of football management, and when not handled properly, it can have serious consequences.

I remember a famous coach in Nigerian football who grew so old that his eyesight reportedly began to fail. At one stage, some even claimed he had become visually impaired. His greatest flaw was his habit of taking off his best players whenever his team was chasing a win or attempting a comeback. This infuriated supporters because the replacements rarely performed better than the players they replaced. It eventually became a common joke that if you did not want to be substituted by the coach, you simply had to play badly.

That memory came to mind following the recent decision by the management of Niger Tornadoes to replace Coach Majin Mohammed with Kabiru Dogo. For those who understand Majin’s technical ability and appreciate the personal sacrifices he made to keep Tornadoes in the Nigeria Premier Football League, replacing him with a coach whose previous club suffered relegation is akin to taking off your best player for someone who offers little or no improvement.

The decision has generated considerable tension within the club. Many supporters have openly criticised it and expressed fears that it could backfire in the near future. One aggrieved fan who correctly predicted Dogo’s appointment before it was officially announced wrote on Facebook that the new management was planning to relegate Niger Tornadoes. He insisted that the incoming coach would make little impact because of his struggles at previous clubs.

There is also a good reason to sympathise with Coach Majin because of the commendable work he did despite operating in an extremely difficult environment. Niger Tornadoes remains one of the least financially stable clubs in the NPFL. More often than not, the club struggles to meet its basic financial obligations to players and officials.

While financial mismanagement is a recurring issue across the NPFL, the situation at Tornadoes appears even more challenging because the funds are often simply unavailable. Unlike clubs such as Kano Pillars, Rivers United, Rangers International, Katsina United and Plateau United, which enjoy stronger financial backing from their respective state governments, Niger Tornadoes has consistently operated with limited resources.

Despite these constraints, Majin kept the club in the NPFL throughout his two seasons in charge. More importantly, he developed several talented players who attracted the attention of national team selectors. Even amid constant struggles, Tornadoes under his leadership proved to be like the proverbial cat with nine lives, repeatedly surviving when many expected them to go down.

Indeed, Majin’s reign can best be described as one of resilience. After taking over as interim manager following Hamza Abara’s departure in 2023, he introduced a clear tactical identity and restored stability to an otherwise drifting team. His side developed a reputation as giant killers, recording memorable victories, including the famous 2-1 win over Rangers International in Enugu.

Unfortunately, the 2025/2026 season witnessed a significant decline in form, largely due to inadequate management support. The “Ikon Allah Boys” struggled for consistency, and by March, they had managed only one victory in nine league matches. This poor run forced the club’s leadership to issue performance ultimatums to Majin and his coaching staff. He also engineered a dramatic escape from relegation. A tense 1-0 victory over Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) in Minna on the final day of the season secured the club’s top-flight status.

There is no doubt that Tornadoes’ disappointing campaign, which ended with survival only on the final day, influenced the new management’s decision to disband the entire technical crew, thereby bringing Majin’s tenure to an end.

Certainly, the new management led by Abubakar Abdullahi Kuso has every right to make changes in pursuit of better results next season. However, the controversy lies in replacing Majin with a coach whose recent record hardly inspires confidence. Equally troubling is the suggestion that the club’s problems were purely technical. That assumption ignores the deeper structural challenges confronting Niger Tornadoes.

Although Kabiru Dogo is widely travelled and vastly experienced, he has consistently struggled to achieve sustained success at most of the clubs he has managed. His finest accomplishment remains guiding Nasarawa United beyond the first round of the 2016 CAF Confederation Cup. Beyond that, his spells with ABS, Nasarawa United, Lobi Stars, Wikki Tourists, Kwara United and El-Kanemi Warriors have largely been characterised by relegation battles, inconsistent performances and premature exits.

Without dismissing his modest achievements, it is worth remembering that his most recent campaign ended in relegation with El-Kanemi Warriors. This brings to mind the popular saying that a coach is only as good as his last result. In Dogo’s case, one could argue that he is only as good as his last season.

This is the coach who has been chosen ahead of Majin, a man who showed genuine potential to transform Niger Tornadoes into a competitive side capable of challenging for honours in the future.

It is pertinent to reiterate that despite working under poor conditions, he nurtured talented youngsters such as Papa Daniel, Abdulrasheed Shehu Dabai, Sabiu Ibrahim, Rickson Mendos, Abba Khalid and Godstime Joseph, all of whom earned national team call-ups. His emphasis on youth development and disciplined, result-oriented football offered the club a solid foundation for the future.

Beyond reinforcing the old saying that a prophet has no honour in his hometown, Majin’s departure also highlights the tendency of newly constituted club managements to become overzealous upon assuming office. Rather than addressing the structural issues hindering the club’s progress, the new hierarchy appears to have targeted the wrong problem.

For instance, the frequency with which Niger Tornadoes change its management committee is alarming. Such instability discourages long-term planning and continuity. In addition, players’ welfare remains among the poorest in the NPFL. These are fundamental issues that no coach alone can solve. The problems confronting Niger Tornadoes extend far beyond Majin Mohammed, and it would be unfair to hold him solely responsible for the club’s difficulties. After all, much is expected only from those who are adequately equipped to deliver.

Another issue generating debate following Dogo’s unveiling as the technical adviser of Niger Tornadoes is the fact that El-Kanemi Warriors, the club he recently led to relegation, have surprisingly qualified for this year’s Federation Cup final. Many football stakeholders are now wondering whether he would still lead El-Kanemi Warriors in the final against Ikorodu City.

Had he not already been unveiled by Niger Tornadoes, the situation might not have attracted much attention. However, having officially become Tornadoes’ coach while still expected to take charge of El-Kanemi Warriors in the Federation Cup final, many are questioning the exact nature of his contractual arrangement with his former club. If he eventually takes charge of the final against Ikorodu City, Dogo could find himself making history as perhaps the first coach in Nigerian football to manage two clubs simultaneously.

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