NPFL: Heartland Place Players On Half Salary, Gombe United Lose Coach

The management of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) club, Heartland, has reportedly placed their players on half salaries.

Heartland took the temporary decision after the Heartland players were humiliated by Plateau United on Wednesday, February 28.

On the said date, Plateau United travelled to Awka City Stadium, the home ground of Heartland, and left the city with a massive 5-1 victory.

The humiliating defeat dropped Heartland to the bottom of the NPFL table with 18 points in 22 games, six points away from safety.

Hence, the general manager of Naze Millionaires, Promise Nwachukwu, has warned that the players could suffer more sanctions if their performance fails to improve.

“The club management has decided to slash the salaries of the players by half from now henceforth until the team’s performance improves,” Nwachukwu told the club’s media.

“I was just deeply rooted to one spot after the game yesterday and was the last to leave the stadium because I could not have envisaged the poor performance the players exhibited against Plateau United. They played as if nothing was at stake and as If they were bereft of ideas.”

Meanwhile, Gombe United travelled to Enyimba International Stadium, Aba, to take on Enyimba without their coach, Mohammed Babaganaru, who resigned before the game.

Coach Babaganaru has won the NPFL title twice in his career but has struggled to win games at Gombe United. Hence, he had to leave the club because of what he described as poor funding.

In his absence from the team, assistant coach, Alhaji Kwairanga took charge of the NPFL game against Enyimba on Thursday, February 29.

At the time of writing, Enyimba were beating Gombe United 3-0 in the 73rd minute of the encounter.

If the scoreline stays that way, Gombe United will remain at the 19th spot in the league table with 21 points in 22 games. Enyimba will go top in the league table, thanks to a superior goals difference over second-place Lobi Stars.