We will bring Tornadoes back to glorious moments

Suleman David was the team manager of Niger Tornadoes football club in 1996, from whence he raised to become club chairman when he got appointed as club chairman in 1998, leading Tornadoes to a WAFU cup continental campaign in 2000, before he was shown the exit door in 2004.

Four weeks into the ongoing Nigeria premier league season, Suleman was appointed once again to steer the management of Niger Tornadoes, in an interview, the former technical committee chairman of the then Nigeria football association, bares his mind on the challenges confronting his team and how they intend to overcome the administrative hurdles staring at the newly inaugurated management of Niger Tornadoes..

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What are your plans for the team, the team is under some kind of pressure, what are your plans to improve the fortune of Niger Tornadoes?

We have great plans for the team, as a matter of fact, the most fundamental plan we have for the team is to first and fore most remove the team from the relegation zone, at the time we came in, it was lying at the bottom of the league table, we had the immediate task of ensuring it moves away from that zone, which we are gradually doing and we will continue working to ensure that the club is back to reckoning, you know Tornadoes is a house hold name in Nigerian football, we want it to remain so, it is , very unfortunately the team is in the situation it is today, so we shall work towards that to ensure we lift the team higher, than it is today.

When you came in, what were the problems you identified, that were actually affecting Niger Tornadoes?

The team had multiple problems, when we came in, first of all, there was disharmony between the supporters and the management of the team, there was disharmony between the fans and the then head of the technical crew, for what they perceived as poor recruitment for the season, and there was lost of confidence between the management and the players themselves, they lost their concentration, their psychology was low and there was no team spirit, therefore we met multiple of problems on the ground and we are gradually working towards surmounting them and I think very soon, we shall be able to say we have done it.


What are you impressions about the premier league?

The league has been very wonderful, the league board has been doing their best and they have left no one in doubt about their capacity to really lift the image of football, particularly the local league, but one thing is very fundamental here, you see the league board alone can not do it, there are other factors that contributes to over all success, all the key players in the industry must come together and ensure they support the mission and vision of the league board, before we can say we have arrived there, I use this forum to call on all key players to come on board and partner with the league board and ensure that we have a very credible league in Nigeria.


What initiatives is being put in place to ensure the people of Niger state and beyond are involved in the running of the club?

First of all you need to build confidence, you have to build that confidence in the people, unless you build that confidence in the people there is no way you can get people coming nearer you, and the only way you can get people coming nearer you ids through building confidence in the system and to encourage grass root development, because it is only when you encourage grass root development, that people would see themselves as part of the system and they would come and try to contribute their own quota.
So we are trying to see, how we can encourage people to come and join hands with us and ensure, we create that awareness that is required to make Tornadoes a global team.

Do you have plans of recruiting better players and technical staff?

O f cause, there is no team in the world that does not go through re engineering from time to time, as the league continues, we discover some good players, who are ready to come to Tornadoes, we are ready to discuss with them, with the view of bringing them in, some of our own that we think are not living up to expectation, we will ask them to look for a better place or a club that is within their own level, naturally, it is natural to continue re engineering the team.

Thank you Mr Chairman for your time.

It is my pleasure; my doors are always open to the p

Gamba new Asian club champuions

Gamba reign to join world's elite
Gamba Osaka are the new kings of Asia. It was always going to be difficult for Adelaide United to overturn a 3-0 deficit from the first leg in Japan, and after the Reds conceded two early goals, the tie was all but over.Although Aurelio Vidmar's team put up a spirited fight in the second period, Gamba never looked in danger of losing the game, and maintained their fresh, attacking brand of football right up to the final whistle.

As continental champions, they have now secured a place at the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2008, alongside their already-qualified opponents."As a coach I'm very satisfied, it's something I have aimed for throughout the season," said Gamba's Akira Nishino. "The standard has been very high and I'm really very happy that we have won."For Gamba and myself this is the second time we have played in the Asian Champions League, and we were always thinking about doing better than before. But we honestly never thought about this result until we got through to the final."

United captain Travis Dodd paid homage to Gamba's success. "It seemed like they had 15 players out there," he gasped."They found space, their movement off the ball was unbelievable and they're easily the best team we've played in this competition."

The gameAdelaide United 0-2 Gamba Osaka Gamba Osaka win 5-0 on aggregate
Adelaide, without key defensive lynchpins Angelo Costanzo and Eugene Galekovic, had no option but to attack from the outset, and that they did, throwing men forward in search of an early goal. But it was at the other end that the scoring was opened on five minutes, when United's stand-in keeper Mark Birighitti fumbled a shot from Hayato Sasaki into the path of Gamba's Brazilian striker Lucas Severino, who pounced on the loose ball and put the Japanese visitors 4-0 ahead on aggregate.

Things got even worse for Adelaide ten minutes later, when a sublime pass from Takahiro Futagawa put Lucas in the clear once more.

The Brazilian deftly evaded the advancing Birighitti and slotted home the second, to effectively put an end to Adelaide's Champions League dreams.
Cristiano looked to have given Adelaide the sniff of a comeback when he headed in a cross from the left on 27 minutes, but the linesman's flag denied the Brazilian. Gamba, meanwhile, had a number of chances to extend their lead before the break, but could not apply the finishing touch to any of their many sweeping moves. In the second half, the home side rallied, driven on by their captain Travis Dodd, and came close to scoring on a number of occasions. But with Sota Nakazawa defiant at the back, Adelaide failed to breach the Gamba rearguard.

The final whistle sounded to wild celebrations from the boys in blue.Football Federation Australia CEO, Ben Buckley, nevertheless praised the Reds' achievement. "Even though Adelaide were beaten by Gamba Osaka, it's a fantastic achievement for a club from the A-League to get this far in just the second year of participating in the competition," he said.The two sides will now prepare to compete against the world's elite next month.

Gamba's formidable performance will have certainly given Japan 2008 favourites Liga de Quito and Manchester United food for thought

Gov Muazu ginger Tornadoes with car gift By Abdulgafar Oladimeji and Nduka Onyeobalu

(The cars donated to Niger Tornadoes by Gov Muazu)

Niger state governor Dr Muazu Babangida has donated a 36 seater air-conditioned bus, a Peugeot 406 and a Tepee mini bus to the management and supporters club of the premier league side Niger Tornadoes, as part of his moral boosting contribution towards the team’s quest to move out of the relegation zone and put in a strong challenge for a continental place next season.

Presenting the fully air conditioned bus to the chairman of the supporters club, Saturday evening at the Late Bako Kontogora stadium, senator Dahiru Sukuta, who made the presentation on behalf of the state government, pledge the state governments continuous support to the club, particularly at a time when they keep roaming around relegation zone on the league table.


“The governor will continue to give you all the support to ensure you get off the relegation zone and even to go continental, so i have the honor to present to you a 36 seater air-conditioned bus, donated to you by the governor of Niger state in fulfillment of his promise to you during the last meeting of stake holders not long ago”.

Receiving the bus on behalf of members of the supporters club, Ahmed Alhaji Ahmed, chairman, Niger Tornadoes football club, supporters club, was overwhelm by the gesture from the state government, he painted a picture of the sufferings, they ve been encountering prior to the bus donation from the state government, whenever they had to travel to cheer their side on away league fixtures.

Ahmed Alhaji was full of praises of the state government, he then highlighted on how the bus would be put to use in the interest of the club, saying it will boost their efforts in rendering back up support to the team.

In his words” It is my happiest day in life, because we have been waiting for long, I mean waiting for a governor that would come and assist us, by providing us with a bus, Governor Muazu Babangida has wiped our tears. This has never happened in the history of supporters club in Niger state, this will go a long way in making sure, we fully contribute our quota in rescuing the team from relegation zone, with our support, that of the management and our players, we are going to rescue the team and have a continental ticket by the grace of God”.

Senator Dahiru, when presenting a Peugeot and Tepee mini to official of the club, praised the new management, led by Suleman David, charging them that with this encouragement from the Niger state government, it is believed that the team will soon move away from the Nigeria premier league dead zone.

“We overhaul the management of Tornadoes because things were not going well, since we brought the new management in, we have seen a lot of improvement and in order to give you all the encouragement, the governor and the government of Niger state, thought it worth while to present to you, two official vehicle, to make the movement of officials easy. We feel that with this encouragement of giving you transportation means, in order to be able to go round, we think Tornadoes will go out of relegation zone”.

Shehu Isa, club fanatic, hailed the donation from the state government, describing it as motivational, he said, “ It came to me a surprise, I pray that, this will mark a new beginning in the history of our great club, Tornadoes, we are in need of a standard stadium, hopefully the government will look into this need , which is crucial to football in Niger state”

Niger Tornadoes were an impressive side last season, but kicked off the on going Glo sponsored Nigeria premier league season on poor home and away runs, a reason that propelled the sack of the entire management of the team, paving for the installation of a new management three weeks into the new season, headed by former chairman technical committee in the Ibrahim Galadima led NFA, Suleman David

Niger Tornadoes Brace Up To Upset

By Abdulgafar Oladimeji and Nduka Onyeobalu


Last season they fought to the wires for the Nigeria premier league title, though lost out at the last lap, Niger Tornadoes of Minna they are, though still fighting to stamp their feet this season, they are up beat toward clinching a continental ticket at the end of the ongoing Globacom sponsored Nigeria premier league.

The Minna lads last season sent bookmakers offside, when they humiliate twice African club champion, Eyimba , snatching the points at stake against the Aba millionaires in Aba, the uncompromising boys from Minna then tutored by John Oboh whom deserted the club this season had a sugar daddy romance with the top spot most part of last season, leading the way all through to the dying days of the league before relinquishing their lead.
I believe we are on course and we will pouch a continental ticket are the views of Mohammed She, club media officer in a chat with sports station, Brila fm monitored in Abuja.

Suleman David, is well thought to be experience by local fans and league watchers, it is believed he would turn around the tided, by invoking a technical magic wand from his store of experience having held forth as the chairman technical committee of the Nigeria football association.

Tornadoes has been partying around relegation zone from the onset of this years Nigeria premier league season, the man saddled with the responsibility of running the technical crew has been coach Danjuma,, his derives optimism from his technical crystal ball and is optimistic his side would bounce to reckoning soon.
Prior to the commencement of the league this season, Niger Tornadoes w, have been tipped as a team to watch out for, considering the challenge they pose to big names in the Nigeria league giving them a good run for their money, though most believe it is to early to write off the most impressive team last season, saying they might just spike it right before the next rounds of action.