Every football season, across leagues worldwide, there are always favorites—teams expected to challenge for the title, the ones built to win. There are the consistent contenders, those who push year after year, hoping this time will be different. And then, there are the outliers—the unexpected challengers, the teams that defy the script. It happens. It always does.

Last season, in the 2023/24 Nigeria Premier Football League, Lobi Stars put together an unlikely title challenge—one that, had they gone all the way, would have been a shock. A strong first half of the campaign raised hopes, and for much of the season, they occupied the top three spots. But when it mattered most, they faded. A team that had spent so long in the conversation ended up finishing sixth—a collapse that still feels difficult to explain.

Last season’s collapse was disappointing, no doubt. But if that felt like a missed opportunity, their current reality is something far worse. After 28 matchdays of the 2024/25 season, Lobi Stars sit rock bottom of the table—20th place with 23 points. This isn’t just a slump; it’s a full-blown crisis.

Less than a year ago, they were pushing for the title. Now, they need more than a miracle just to survive. How does a team fall this far, this fast? Where did it all go wrong for Lobi Stars? And is there any way back?

Lobi Stars’ struggles this season didn’t just appear out of nowhere. The warning signs were there from the start, and perhaps even before the first match of the season was played. The club had no home ground, a situation that immediately put them at a disadvantage. Their stadium was under construction, and while there were expectations that it would be completed quickly, work stalled. Rumors swirled that Monimichelle, the construction company in charge, had been sabotaged. As a result, the team had no proper base.

Training conditions weren’t much better. There wasn’t even a designated training pitch for the team. McCarthy Stadium was eventually set aside for training, but it too underwent reconstruction, forcing the team to make do with makeshift locations. A club that had once dreamed of winning the title was now struggling with the very basics of preparation.

Lobi Stars had a solid base at the Lafia Township Stadium—one that provided stability sort of. So why abandon it for Bauchi? This season alone, they’ve been on the move far too often. Now, their latest adopted home is the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu. How much more instability can they endure?

The case of recruitment is also a thing. Coach Eugene Agagbe, who was in charge before the season started, oversaw a transfer window that can only be described as chaotic. Players were signed in an unorthodox manner, with many being registered under local governments instead of professional academies or clubs. This wasn’t a squad built with a clear vision. It was a patchwork of players brought in without a structured recruitment process.

Shortly into the season, the club’s chairman, Dominic Iorfa, was relieved of his duties, and a new government-appointed leadership took over. With it came another major change: the appointment of Daniel Amokachi as head coach.

The decision to bring in Amokachi was controversial from the start. His track record in Nigerian club football was far from impressive. From El-Kanemi Warriors to the defunct Ifeanyi Ubah, and even a brief stint at Enyimba, his tenure at various clubs had been largely underwhelming. His appointment raised eyebrows among those who questioned whether he was the right man to lead Lobi Stars out of turbulence.

Further complicating matters was the arrival of Finnish coach Mika Lönnström, who was brought in to provide technical expertise. However, it was rumored that Lönnström wasn’t even being paid by the state government—instead, Amokachi was personally funding his role. If true, this pointed to a level of instability and dysfunction that made success almost impossible. Probably why he resigned or a case of the mess behind the scenes?

Under Amokachi, results failed to improve. The team looked disjointed, lacking both tactical cohesion and confidence. Eventually, the inevitable happened: Amokachi resigned.

After Amokachi’s exit, Lobi Stars faced another issue—who would take charge? Initially, the responsibility fell to Tar Akombo, a former player with significant experience in the league. However, he and his brother, who was also part of the setup, lacked the required coaching license to lead the team officially.

As a result, the team was handed over to the goalkeeping coach, Adingi who managed them for a couple of games, including in the FA Cup. It was a situation that reflected just how deep the crisis had become.

Eventually, most recently the club appointed Baba Ganaru, a more experienced figure, to steady the ship. But his tenure has been far from smooth. His first two major games ended in defeats—first to Niger Tornadoes, then to El-Kanemi Warriors. At a time when every point matters Lobi Stars continue to sink further.

And after losing to Ikorodu City in their newly adopted ground in Enugu over the weekned, reports have it that Babaganaru who joined the team just recently had decided to quit. Huge mess right?

While the managerial instability has also played a huge role in the club’s struggles, it isn’t the only issue. The squad itself had been significantly weakened. Several key players have departed, and the mid-season transfer window failed to provide reinforcements which the blame has to fall heavily on the management.

Among those who left were Ahmadu Liman and other influential figures who had been crucial to Lobi Stars’ relatively strong campaign the previous season. Without them, the team has lacked quality in crucial areas.

At this point, the battle is as much psychological as it is tactical. A team that was dreaming of titles last season is now fighting for its life. If they do go down, it won’t just be because of what happened on the pitch—it will be the result of months of chaos behind the scenes.

But if they somehow pull off a great escape, it would be more than a miracle. Either way, this season will go down as one of the most turbulent in the club’s history.

For now, though, Lobi Stars remain in freefall. The question is—how much further can they sink before they find a way back?