NFF may ditch Keshi for foreign coach
Keshi
There are feelers that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) may not hand immediate past Super Eagles’ coach, Stephen Keshi, a new contract, reports SL10ng.
The website reports that the executive members of the NFF are divided over the decision of the Technical Committee to put the long term future of the Super Eagles in the hands of the 2013 African Cup of Nations winning coach, as some of them believe a foreign coach should head the team.
The recent struggles of the Super Eagles in friendly matches against Uganda and South Africa reportedly made some of the NFF executive members to have a rethink on the abilities of local coaches.
However, there are moves by some well-connected members of the NFF to have the former Mali coach back as Eagles’ gaffer. The NFF said last week that it would not make an announcement on the fate of Keshi despite confirming a new deal has been approved.
“Keshi’s contract has been approved by the NFF board, I can confirm that to Nigerians,” NFF president, Amaju Pinnick said. “All that is left now is for him to sign it. As we speak Keshi has not put pen to paper” According to source in the NFF, Keshi’s new deal is yet to be completed as the federation claims distractions due to the country’s presidential election vote counting.
“He was supposed to be given the approved deal on Friday but the NFF officials were nowhere around as they all travel to their various states to vote,” a source said. “However as of Monday the tune changed as they claim, out of respect for the counting of the Nigeria presidential elections, all talks should be on hold.”
The elections results are still in the process of being counted and some analysts are speculating that, if the ruling party loses, Keshi might not get a new deal. Keshi has been in charge of the Super Eagles since 2011 but despite winning the AFCON in 2013 some have been calling for his dismissal. Many Nigerians want him out due to the poor results as of late.
The calls for his sacking reached a climax when Nigeria failed to qualify for last year’s AFCON. Keshi has reportedly resigned from his post two times in the past and at one point he was sacked by the NFF board, only to be reinstated weeks later.
