The ‘10 Hags’ in Nigeria’s Premier League

Without a doubt, football fans around the world, especially the die-hard supporters of Manchester United, are closely following the build up to the imminent sack of the embattled coach Erik Ten Hag, who is obviously taking the famous Manchester club from frying pan into fire. The coach who arrived at Old Trafford in 2022 has failed to reenact the magic at Ajax that once convinced the owners of the club to hire his services.

So, if there is anything the teeming fans of United can’t wait to see, it is the back of the coach who has become like a leprous hand that no true fan wants to shake. Things came to a head recently when Manchester United were thoroughly beaten at home by Tottenham Hotspur.

The scandalous loss actually came on the heels of a similar scoreline at home against Liverpool. The latest 3-0 bashing of the Red Devils came shortly after they could only manage a 1-1 draw at home against lowly rated Twente in the Europa League. I sympathise with Manchester United fans who are presently wallowing in shame as their Red Devils are being raped left right and centre.

It is hilarious because anything unfortunate that happens to a fan of Manchester United now is blamed on the mediocre performance of Ten Hag. As a matter of fact, even a man who fails to perform his matrimonial duties in ‘the other room’ blames his incompetence on the emotional and psychological torture by Ten Hag and his overrated players.

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Therefore, such fans will surely heave a sigh of relief if the Dutch tactician is given the boot after the next two matches, which are available for him to stand any slim chance of retaining his position. Unfortunately, one of the two matches that could have delayed his sack ended in a draw on Thursday night. Ten Hags boys squandered a two goal lead to draw 3-3 with FC Porto in the Europa League. Next on the line is the EPL clash with UEFA Champions League campaigners, Aston Villa. United’s chances of beating Villa are quite slim. As it is, Ten Hag’s departure is more guaranteed than his stay in Manchester.

Indeed, these are unfortunate and delicate situations that leave me with no option than to empathise with coaches. Without a doubt, since they’re the men in charge of the dugouts, the bucks invariably stop at their tables.

While the coaches are harshly criticised and ultimately sacked, once poor results persist, the players who are the main actors suffer minimal attacks. Angry fans focus more on the technical ineptitude of the coach who can’t do more than dish out instructions from the touchline.

Most times, the heavily paid and over pampered stars in such ailing clubs go about as if nothing is wrong. In the case of Manchester United, senior players like Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, Christian Erikson, Andre Onana, Harry Maguire, Diogo Dalot, Luke Shaw and a host of others who should take most of the blame for the lackluster performances are receiving less criticism.

In fact, they can afford to go clubbing, while their coach endures scathing attacks by angry supporters. Ironically, the man who is taking most of the blame for the lethargic performances is not as heavily paid as his players who are directly responsible for the present catastrophe in Manchester United.

As Ten Hag continues to battle frantically to save his job in United, the same scenario is already playing out in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) where some coaches are also facing sack threats over the underwhelming performances of their teams. This is like replicating the Ten Hag and Manchester United’s saga in the Nigerian topflight.

Even as the ongoing season is just entering week five this weekend, the coaches in charge of Lobi Stars (Eugene Agagbe), Ikorodu United (Bright Ozebage), Heartland (Emmanuel Amuneke), Bayelsa United (Ladan Bosso), Akwa United (Baba Ganaru), and Kwara United (Tunde Sanni Salihu), may be sacked early in the season because of their team’s poor results.

In fact, none of these club managers has won a single match since the start of the NPFL season. The best performers among them are Babaganru, Amuneke, and Bosso, who have managed to draw two matches out of four games. The rest of them have only one draw each.

I can tell you authoritatively that just as Manchester United are shopping for Ten Hags’ replacement, the same is going on in the NPFL clubs, which are already faced with relegation. I have confirmed this development from some of the coaches who are in talks with the chairmen of the clubs that want to change their Technical Advisers. This is not surprising because the tradition in NPFL clubs is only manifesting again.

Historically, indiscriminate sacking of coaches is a common occurrence in the Nigerian league. Even when there are no serious reasons to sack, coaches are usually shown the exit door at the slightest opportunity, not to talk of now that the clubs have enough reasons to carry out their pleasurable hobby. So, I can see some coaches in the NPFL being sacked even before the end of the first round.

Initially, I left out the Technical Adviser of Kano Pillars, Usman Abdallah, whose team has won one, drawn one and lost two matches, but the former coach of Enyimba, Wikki Tourists and katsina United is also not completely safe.

This is because the ‘Masu gida’ boys suffered a humiliating 0-2 home loss to Remo Stars in week three. Therefore, the no-nonsense Pillars’ fans that I know will hold that against him and wouldn’t hesitate to ask for his head if the team suffers another home defeat.

So, if you are praying for Ten Hag to survive the imminent sack in Manchester United, please spare a thought for our own who are faced with the same fate in the NPFL. Personally, I am praying fervently for Amuneke, whose sack will be a major blow to his reputation as a coach and Super Eagles legend.