The Nation Newspaper

Tag: keshi

  • two months salaries: Keshi to get N10m this week

    two months salaries: Keshi to get N10m this week

    Ex-Super Eagles’ chief coach,Stephen Keshi will get two months salaries for handling the national football team in September and October during the AFCON qualifiers.

    The Big Boss, whose contract was not renewed after he led the Eagles to the second round of the Brazil 2014 World Cup, was prevailed upon by the Sports Minister Tamuno Danagogo to take charge of the team in an interim capacity for the Nations Cup qualifiers.

    However,two weeks ago,the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) officially told the ex-Hawks of Togo gaffer that his services were no longer required.

    Speaking to SportingLife at the prestigious Hilton Hotel in Windhoek,the sports minister insisted that even though Keshi is no more the Eagles’ coach,he will be paid his two months salaries latest this week.

    “When I asked Keshi to take charge of the team on an interim basis,I promised him that he will be paid his wages for the period of time he worked,”Danagogo said in the interview.

    “Based on that,I have instructed the NFF to pay Keshi his two months salaries from their allocation this month.We must learn to honour agreements because Keshi is no longer the coach does not mean we should deny him  his entitlements,”he said.

  • ‘Keshi fired out of love’

    ‘Keshi fired out of love’

    NFF president Amaju Pinnick has explained the rationale behind the sacking of Stephen Keshi.

    The new NFF board showed Keshi the exit on Thursday morning as national team coach, despite his side’s 3-1 home win against Sudan that kept the Super Eagles in the running to defend their African title.

    Pinnick said the decision not to renew the contract of the former Nigerian international was in the best interest of the nation.

    “Does it sound right for us to say that the Eagles played for Keshi and not for the country? So if a new coach comes in now, what would they do? We took the decision in the best interest of the nation.

    “We also saw a lot of things that had happened in the past as there were issues that bordered on security because it was from the beginning of our game against Sudan that a hero in Keshi was booed.

    “We took this decision to save Keshi and let him know that he’s a hero and should remain a hero,” Pinnick said on Friday morning.

    The NFF supremo also added that Keshi and his assistants would be paid all their outstanding entitlements within two weeks.

    Meanwhile, unanimous approval was given for a consortium of coaches, led by Amodu, to lead Nigeria in their remaining qualifying matches against Congo and South Africa “after which an expatriate coach will be appointed”.

    Amodu’s re-appointment comes four years after he was sacked and stopped from leading the country to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. This will be his fifth stint with the Eagles having first taken charge of the team in 1994.

    The 56-year-old will be assisted by El Kanemi Warriors coach Salisu Yusuf, who worked under Samson Siasia both with the Flying Eagles and Super Eagles, and Gbenga Ogunbote of Sharks.

    Their immediate task is to secure a win against Congo in Pointe Noire to stay in the reckoning for a place at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco in January.

    Nigeria have four points after three matches while Congo are second on seven points. Group leaders South Africa travel to Nigeria for the final qualifying game next month.

  • Keshi set for Ethiopia job

    Keshi set for Ethiopia job

    Immediate past coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria, Stephen Keshi may not have exaggerated on his claims of having ‘other offers’ outside Nigeria, as SL10.ng can exclusively report that the 52-year old is a subject of interest from the Ethiopia Football Federation.

    The former Nigeria skipper was replaced as the Super Eagles coach on Thursday by the Amaju Pinnick-led Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) executive committee and promptly replaced by Amodu Shuaibu – albeit on an interim capacity.

    However, SL10.ng have exclusively gathered from sources inside the Ethiopia Football Federation (EFF) that the EFF have shortlisted Keshi, as well as two other coaches to replace the under-fire Mariano Barreto, who’s currently handling the Ethiopian men’s national football team.

    The Walya Ibex of Ethiopia are bottom of group B, in the qualifiers for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations with three points from four games – their first and only win coming on Wednesday in a  hard fought 3-2 win over Mali in Bamako. And with qualification looking very unlikely, the EFF have shortlisted three candidates that could replace the 57-year old Barreto, with Stephen Keshi being the prime candidate.

    The Ethiopia Football Federation are yet to make any official statement to this effect, but SL10.ng understands that the executive committee led by Juneidi Basha will meet within the next two weeks to decide Barreto’s fate, and possibly the appointment of Keshi.

    “The executive committee will meet within the next two weeks because Barreto will be fired, and Keshi is likely to be appointed. Two other coaches have also been shortlisted but many of the executive committee members believe Keshi is the right man,” a source informed SL10.ng.

    Barreto, an Indian-born Portuguese coach replaced Bishaw Sewnet in April 2014 and was tasked with leading the Walya Ibex to next year’s Africa Cup of Nations but with Ethiopia all but out of the qualifying race, Keshi looks set to become the next coach of the Ethiopian team.

    Meanwhile, the Stephen Keshi camp has refused to deny or confirm the interest. Emmanual Ado, Keshi’s agent told SL10.ng that they would not be confirming or denying anything at the moment.

  • …remains a hero – Pinnick

    …remains a hero – Pinnick

    Newly elected president of the Nigeria football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, has said the firing of Stephen Keshi was done to save his status as a hero among Nigerians.

    Speaking on Friday morning, Pinnick said the boos the AFCON title winning coach suffered prior to the game also influenced their decision.

    “We had to sack him as they were issues we saw, like a hero been booed before our game against Sudan,” said Pinnick.

    “It borders more on security and he is a hero and should remain as a hero.”

    He added the former Eagles coach was fired to help rescue Nigeria’s ailing qualifying campaign and preserve it’s status as a big football nation.

    “Does it sound right for us to say that the players played for Keshi? And not for Nigeria?,” he continued.

    “So what I am asking is if a new coach comes in now, what would they do?”

    “Keshi just had to go for the interest of Nigeria as a top football nation on the continent.”

    On the outstanding entitlements owed Keshi and his technical crew, Pinnick assured that they will be settled in two weeks time.

    SL10.ng sought to hear from Keshi’s agent, Emma Addo, how much and how many months the former Eagles captain and coach is being owed but his lines were switched off.

    A modality on his pay for handling Nigeria’s first three AFCON qualifiers without a contract is also expected to be thrashed out by Keshi’s management team and the NFF.

     

  • Keshi’s sack ‘ll take football backwards, says Akanni

    Keshi’s sack ‘ll take football backwards, says Akanni

    Former Eagles’ player, Waidi Akanni has faulted Stephen Keshi’s removal as the head coach of the national team, saying the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) made a big mistake by relieving the former coach of his job.

    Akanni told NationSports that Keshi did well by winning the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in South Africa in 2013 and qualifying the country for the World Cup in his first attempt. He stated that the former Eagles’ captain also equalled Nigeria best outing at the Mundial by taking the team to the second round at the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup.

    He said the reasons for sacking Keshi were not football-related and wondered why he was not left to prosecute the two remaining games in the AFCON 2015 qualifiers. “I am sure that if he had been left in charge of the team, he would  have qualified the country for the AFCON.  Keshi has had a positive impact on the team since he came on board and his sack will only take our football backward.”

    According to Akanni, the former coach had a running battle with the NFF Technical Committee, which wanted to dictate to the coach on team selection. “For me, Keshi was relieved of his duty because he never got along with members of the technical committee, who wanted to dictate to him. These are people whose abilities are in doubt. The technical committee lacks modern method and that is the major reason they couldn’t agree with Keshi on technical issues.”

    When reminded that the former coach seemed to have lost the dressing room, Akanni stated that issues affecting teams, especially bothering on rift between players and the coach, could be settled without firing the coach.

  • Musa: My brace was for Keshi

    Musa: My brace was for Keshi

    Super Eagles two-goal hero, Ahmed Musa, has dedicated his brace in the 3-1 win over Sudan to former Nigeria boss, Stephen Keshi.

    The CSKA Moscow winger bagged two goals in to help the Eagles claim their first Afcon qualifying win in Group A and the 22-year-old was sad to see the Big Boss leave.

    “Yes my brace is for him, sad to see him go and proud I lifted some pressure of him, he is like a father to me in the team,” he told SL10.ng.

    Musa remains optimistic the Eagles will secure a ticket to next year’s Cup of Nations, despite playing catch up to South Africa and Congo in their group.

    “I believe we will qualify, I have never doubted it, mathematically and otherwise we still stand a chance of even finishing top of our group.”

    The Russian-based speedy ace welcomed Amodu Shuaibu as the new boss of the Super Eagles and said he has trust in the manager’s experience.

    “He is welcome, as players we have little or no control over who manages our team, regardless of the manager I’m ready to give my all to Nigeria,” he added.

    “My country comes first and I eye to do more for the team as long as God strengthens me.

    “He is a veteran coach,highly experienced and that will work well for us as a team, we can turn this around and an experience head like him will make it easy.”

    Musa is in a race against time to arrive Russia in time for CSKA Moscow’s game against Kuban Krasnodar today in the Russia premier league.

     

  • I’m not aware of Keshi’s sack, says Minister

    I’m not aware of Keshi’s sack, says Minister

    • ‘NFF has powers to sack,appoint coaches’
    • Expatriate coach to be screened

    Sports Minister Tammy Danagogo has claimed that he was not informed about the sack of Super Eagles’ Chief Coach Stephen Keshi but was quick to note that the employers of Keshi, the Nigeria Football Federation have the constitutional powers to hire and sack any coach in their employment.

    Danagogo who said he was waiting to be formally informed of Keshi’s sack by the Amaju Pinnick led-NFF, also warned that any expatriate coach to be employed by the NFF would be duly screened to determine his suitably in the coaching business before he could endorse it.

    “A lot of Nigerians appreciate what Keshi has done for the country but the ultimate decision of having to be in the saddle rests with the NFF. So, if they insist that the only way they can achieve results is by having Keshi step aside, so be it. But I hope that they succeed in bringing in new people that will change the dwindling fortunes of our football.

    “I don’t believe in hiding issues from the public and I am surprised that they took that decision. I am aware that  were consistent calls to sack Keshi. I am also aware that it is the responsibility of the NFF to hire and fire coaches of the national teams. So, what they have done is their responsibility but I am still looking at it.

    “I woke up this morning (yesterday) to it. I expected them to have fired him when the team lost in Sudan from the way they were reacting then. I didn’t expect he would be sacked after the team’s victory on Wednesday.

    “It is their responsibility to hire and fire coaches and when they told me that they didn’t want to continue with Keshi again after coming from Sudan, I told them that they will be held responsible for whatever decision they take.

    ”That was why I allowed them as professional to do their things and be ready to give account to Nigerians whatever results it comes out with.

    “If they have come to a conclusion that they want a foreign coach and that is the only way the can achieve result, they will tell me the credentials of those foreign coaches. If I see that it is far and above what we have here and it will take a long time for those we have here to get there we will see it”, the Minister summed up.

    “For in stance, the Super Eagles for whatever reason have been going down.  I have sat with the players, technical crew and the NFF asking what is wrong with the team and I cannot know why. I have told the NFF to be very careful on whatever action they are taking because I will not be the chief judge in any of these issues. NFF is a group of sportsmen and women and stakeholders who should know what they are doing.

    “I wouldn’t have been shocked if it have been done then because when they came back they told me that they whatever to do that actually and I was trying to ask them the reason and advised them to be very objective on what they want to do.

    “Whatever decision they are taking they would have to substantiate it properly and if we don’t have that caliber of coaches whoever they want to bring and he is such a reputable coach that will beat the record of all those we have here, we will wait and see. My advise to them is that we should give opportunities to local coaches to grow and the only way to grow is to expose them to competitions and training at whatever level”, the Minister disclosed.

  • Keshi‘s sack won’t change anything – Amiesimaka

    Keshi‘s sack won’t change anything – Amiesimaka

    A former Green Eagles player, Adokie Amiesimaka, on Thursday said the dismissal of Stephen Keshi-led Super Eagles technical crew will not change anything in the team.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Keshi and other members of his technical crew were sacked after beating Sudan 3-1 at the National Stadium Abuja in the 2015 African Nations Cup qualifier on Wednesday.

    The win came after Nigeria had lost two of its previous encounters and drew one to reduce its chances of qualifying for the tournament taking place in Morocco next January.

    The Nigeria Football Federation had put in place a consortium of coaches led by Shuaibu Amodu to handle the team in its remaining two matches.

    “We have had 14 coaches since France 1998, does it mean that we do not have qualified coaches that can transform the team?

    “Sacking Keshi and his crew does not change a thing; how do we expect Keshi to perform magic overnight, our problem did not start today.

    “At the senior national team level we should have elite players from the local league, but since Clement Westerhof, we have stopped producing players discovered from our league.

    “The crop of players we produce these days shows the level of decline of our football,” Amiesimaka told NAN.

    The former national team player said the NFF must focus on the development of football at the grassroots in order to halt the current slide in the Super Eagles’ performance.

     

  • NFF sacks Keshi, Amokachi, Shorounmu

    NFF sacks Keshi, Amokachi, Shorounmu

    The Nigeria Football Federation NFF has sacked Super Eagles’ Coach, Stephen Keshi.

    The NFF in a communique issued on Thursday morning  said in the interest of Nigerian football and the desire to ensure qualification for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations finals, it has decided to relieve Keshi and his assistants Daniel Amokachi and Ike Shorunmu of their duties .

    It. however, praised the excellent contributions of the senior national team technical crew, led by Keshi, the glorious accomplishments in the past three years.

    The communique reads in parts: “In recognition of their contributions to the Nigeria game, the Executive Committee also approved that the trio of Keshi, Amokachi and Shorounmu should proceed to any coaching course of their choice in any country of their choice to build their capacity, at the expense of the NFF.

    ” All their entitlements will be paid within the next fortnight.”

    Meanwhile, a former handler of the team, Shuaibu Amodu, will lead a consortium of coaches for Nigeria’s final two AFCON qualifiers against Congo and South Africa slated for next month.

    A foreign manager will later be appointed to lead the team.

  • ‘POWERFUL FRIENDS’ MOVE TO STOP KESHI’S SACK

    ‘POWERFUL FRIENDS’ MOVE TO STOP KESHI’S SACK

    AFRICANFOOTBALL.COM can exclusively reveal today that “some powerful friends” of coach Stephen Keshi have moved to stop the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) from sacking him.

    We first broke the move by the newly elected NFF executive committee led by Amaju Pinnick to fire Keshi after the team sunk into a more dangerous situation of not qualifying for next year’s AFCON following a shock 1-0 loss in Sudan at the weekend.

    Pinnick has since consulted with some top government officials the plan to dismiss the Eagles coach and has even sounded out some likely replacements. The NFF bosses will have an emergency meeting Wednesday night, just hours after the Eagles reverse fixture against Sudan in Abuja, with Keshi’s future top on the agenda.

    However, a top source has now informed AfricanFootball.com it is not likely Keshi will be asked to go because “some of his powerful friends” have stepped in to help him save his job.

    “The general thinking is that Keshi will be sacked and some of the top officials consulted on this have even given their approval, but there are some of the “powerful friends” of the coach who have warned against any such move,” the source informed.

    “So, as it stands it is now a matter of who has the more powerful friends between the coach and his employers.”

    The source further hinted: “You could see how apologetic and nervous Keshi was after the loss against Sudan and how boastful and daring he has grown thereafter.

    “This is a direct result of the assurances he has received from his powerful friends that his job is safe. The powerful friends” were among those who facilitated the return of Keshi from the United States of America for the opening AFCON qualifiers last month and were the ones who put so much pressure on the NFF secretariat to give the coach a contract during the recent leadership crisis that engulfed the federation.

    A top NFF executive committee member also told AfricanFootball.com: “We have to look at the bigger picture. Will a new coach really change things immediately or do we leave Keshi to complete what he has started?