The possibility of Stephen Keshi to continue as the head coach of the Super Eagles looks uncertain, following the marching order from the House of Representatives Committee on Sports to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to disengage him from the job, arguing that he has nothing again to offer the team.
Issuing the order when the football federation appeared before the sports committee yesterday to defend this year’s budget, the committee lamented that the federation had continued to romance with Keshi, despite his dismal performances in recent times as Eagles coach, arguing that his continuation will bring more calamity to Nigerian football.
Obviously capturing the minds of his committee members, the Chairman, Hon Godfrey Ali Gaiya, emphasised that though the body language of the NFF suggested the federation did not want Keshi to continue as Eagles coach, it was becoming obvious that the federation was afraid of ending the romance with him because of his perceived connection at high places.
His words: “You alluded to our non-qualification for the last Nations Cup to the NFF leadership crisis that distracted you. You were not properly focused to qualify.
“I am concerned that though we may have got over the leadership crisis, however, one crisis that is lingering now is that of the coach recruitment for our national team.
I know that basically a team is made of the players and coaching crew.
“You cannot have a team without a technical crew. If since July 2014 till this month of March, we have not been able to settle the issue of who is our national team coach, I think the prayers of my colleagues and the yearnings of majority of Nigerians for our team to do well at all times, may be truncated.
“I have seen the body language of the NFF on its choice of national team coach. I have also seen the utterances of the person you want to employ as national team coach and I can say that it is obvious you don’t have a coach. The NFF body language does not seem to support the quest for Keshi to continue as Eagles coach.
“The average Nigerian on the street believed too that Keshi has done his best and it is time for him to take a bow. My committee believes that even when he has done his best, he should quit now that the ovation is loudest.
Speaking further, Gaiya added: “Our prayers is that God should help Keshi get another offer somewhere so that we can be free to get our own coach and move the Eagles forward. Today, we read reports that Keshi has been given 10 days ultimatum to accept his contract.
“I don’t see any reason an employer who is supposed to be the boss to his employee should give such ultimatum to somebody he wants to employ. After the Nations Cup, we have seen national teams that immediately fired their coaches, why not do same to one who could not qualify us to the Nations Cup.
Meanwhile vice president of the NFF, Seyi Akinwumi had earlier told the sports committee that the NFF technical committee would meet with coach Keshi today to discuss and iron out the grey areas of his contract, adding that the NFF board will also meet next week to take a final decision on its choice of Super Eagles coach.
