NPFL: Struggling Abia Warriors give coach Imama three-match ultimatum

NIGERIA Professional Football League club Abia Warriors have issued an ultimatum to their head coach Imama Amakapabo following the team’s poor start to the season.

The Umuahia-based club have lost all four of their opening four matches of the 2020/2021 season, leaving them rooted to the bottom of the table.

Although the club play their home matches at nearby Enyimba Stadium in Aba due to the terrible state of their own ground in Umuahia, Abia Warriors insist they have provided Amakapabo with everything to make him succeed.

Now they have ordered Amakapabo to ensure the club win their next three games or pack his bags.

“The Management of Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia has given the Technical Crew the mandate to win their next three games or be ready to face the music,” the club said in a press statement.

“The ultimatum came after Management held an emergency meeting with the coaches at the Club’s Secretariat in Umuahia following the dismal performance of the team in the on-going Nigeria Professional Football League where Abia Warriors have lost their first four league games.

“The Management reiterated that the team has no reason not to do well considering the caliber of players in the team pointing out that technical crew, led by Imama Amapakabo has enjoyed the greatest support and cooperation ever given to any crew in the Club’s history.”

Abia Warriors lost their last NPFL fixture 3-2 at home to fellow strugglers Jigawa Golden Stars on Sunday and that defeat must have been the final straw for the club’s management.

Former top-flight goalkeeper Amakapabo rose to coaching prominence when he led Enugu Rangers to win their first league title in over 30 years in 2016.

However, he has failed to reach anywhere close to those heights again, struggling at El-Kanemi Warriors, the Nigeria U-23s and now Abia Warriors.