Survive on Sunday, Sacked on Monday – The Nigerian Football Way CTN ‘Idan’ Rough & Tough – Edition 3

Tuesday, June 2, 2026

The season ended last week. The trophies have been handed out. The champions are celebrating.

And the sackings have already begun.

Welcome to the NPFL offseason, where the only thing faster than a winger on the counter-attack is a club chairman reaching for the termination letter.

While European clubs are busy posting “thank you for your service” tweets with carefully worded platitudes, Nigerian clubs are doing what they do best: cleaning house. Loudly. Swiftly. Without apology.

Let’s get into it.

THE IDAN OF THE WEEK: Niger Tornadoes Management

The Performance: One swift, brutal, no-nonsense dismissal of an entire technical crew.

The Result: All coaches sacked. Seventeen players retained. Zero sentiment.

The Situation: Niger Tornadoes survived relegation on the final day of the season. They beat Shooting Stars 1-0 at home to secure their NPFL status. That should be cause for celebration, right?

Wrong.

The Execution: According to Daily Post Nigeria, the club’s management reviewed the technical crew’s performance and said, in so many words: “Congratulations on surviving. Now pack your things.”

The entire technical crew was dissolved. Assistant coaches reassigned. A complete overhaul ordered. And a new technical crew promised “in the coming weeks.”

The Reason: This was the FIFTH consecutive season that Niger Tornadoes had battled relegation until the final day. Five years of heart attacks. Five years of “we almost died.” The management finally said enough is enough.

The Idan Verdict: This is Nigerian football in its purest form. No loyalty clauses. No “projects.” No three-year plans. You either perform, or you perambulate. Five years of last-day survival? That is not survival instinct. That is a pattern. And patterns get you sacked.

The management’s statement said it best: “Early preparation ahead of next season is non-negotiable if we must achieve different results.”

That is not heartless. That is Idan.

Idan!

ROUGH & TOUGH MOMENT OF THE WEEK: Lobi Stars Release 18 Players

If you think Niger Tornadoes were harsh, wait until you hear about Lobi Stars.

The Makurdi-based side, who will play in the Nigeria National League (NNL) next season after relegation, have released EIGHTEEN players.

Let that sink in.

Eighteen.

That is almost an entire matchday squad plus substitutes. That is a massacre dressed up as “strategic restructuring.”

According to New National Star, the club’s Players’ Contract Review and Verification Committee recommended the clear-out after assessing the team’s disastrous 2025/26 campaign.

Among the departed: Orya Joseph, Daniel Abah, Atavti Samuel, Eyigege Pius, and fourteen others. Some released permanently. Others sent back to parent clubs after loan deals expired.

Who survived? Only 17 players remain.

And here is the kicker — even the assistant coaches were reassigned to the U-19 team. That is not a demotion. That is exile.

Lobi Stars are not playing games. They want an immediate return to the NPFL. And they are willing to burn the entire squad to the ground to get it.

Rough & Tough? More like Rough & Ruthless.

WHERE EUROPEAN LEAGUES FEAR TO TREAD

You know what you will never see in the English Premier League?

A club sacking its entire technical crew the day after securing survival.

Imagine if Everton — after escaping relegation on the final day — walked into Goodison Park on Monday morning and told Sean Dyche: “Thanks for keeping us up. Your desk is now a cardboard box. Security will see you out.”

The English media would collapse. Pundits would record seven-minute monologues about “lack of respect for the managerial profession.” Gary Neville would film a rant that gets clipped a million times.

Meanwhile in Minna, Niger State? Tuesday morning, new technical crew already being recruited. No tears. No press conference drama. Just business.

That is the NPFL. No time for sentiment. No space for “we tried our best.” You either deliver, or you find someone who will.

And honestly? There is something admirable about it.

THE KLINSHAK LONGMBAK STORY: From Relegation to Europe

Here is a story that will warm your heart — or break it, depending on your perspective.

Klinshak Longbak, a midfielder for relegated Wikki Tourists, is on the verge of a move to Slovakian side AS Trencin.

Yes, you read that correctly. A player from a team that just dropped to the NNL is heading to Europe.

Longbak scored three goals and provided three assists in 32 appearances for the Bauchi Elephants this season. Not spectacular numbers. But apparently enough to catch the eye of European scouts.

The 25-year-old left Wikki Tourists immediately after the season ended and is currently undergoing trials in Slovakia.

The lesson? Nigerian talent is undeniable. Even when the team fails, individual brilliance shines through.

Longbak joins the growing list of NPFL graduates heading to Europe. And we at CTN ‘Idan’ Rough & Tough say: Go and shine, brother.

But also — Wikki Tourists fans, we are sorry. Your best players are leaving. That is the reality of relegation.

Idan! (To Longbak. Conditional.)

SUPER FALCONS NEWS: Senegal Friendlies Coming Up

While the men’s league is in offseason, the women are gearing up.

Super Falcons head coach Justine Madugu has named a 23-player squad for two friendly matches against Senegal on June 5 and June 8 at the Remo Stars Sports Complex in Ikenne.

Headliners:

· Captain Rasheedat Ajibade (Paris Saint-Germain)
· Six-time African Women’s Player of the Year Asisat Oshoala (Al Hilal)
· First-choice goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Returning faces:

· Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene (Ottawa Rapids)
· Francisca Ordega (Ittihad Ladies)

Why it matters: The Falcons are preparing for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, which doubles as the qualifying tournament for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. The four semi-finalists qualify automatically.

Our take: Go and watch them if you can. Ikenne is not far from anywhere. And the Falcons are the real Idan.

OFFSEASON CHECKLIST

What to expect in the coming weeks:

· More sackings: Trust us. Niger Tornadoes and Lobi Stars are just the beginning.
· Transfer madness: Nigerian players moving locally and abroad. We will track them.
· Coaching carousel: Who goes where? Who gets the big jobs?
· Super Falcons friendlies: June 5 and June 8. Mark your calendars.

THE PARTING SHOT

The season is over. But the drama is not.

Niger Tornadoes sacked their entire technical crew the morning after survival. Lobi Stars released 18 players in one sitting. Klinshak Longbak is heading to Slovakia. And the Super Falcons are gearing up for Senegal.

This is the NPFL offseason. It is chaotic. It is ruthless. And it is absolutely entertaining.

We will be here every Tuesday. Through the sackings. Through the signings. Through the chaos.

Go and follow Nigerian football. The offseason is just as juicy as the season.

Idan!

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— CTN Sports

Next edition Tuesday, June 9. Send your sacking stories, transfer rumors, and hot takes to our social media handles. We will feature the best ones.

Idan! 🦅