keshi's new travails
After so much dillydallying, the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF,
offered embattled Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi another two year
contract which he signed on Tuesday in Abuja.
The returnee coach signed the contracted shrouded in so much secrecy at a modest ceremony at the Media centre of the Abuja national stadium.
Unlike his first signing, the event did not attract so much publicity and funfair because the football federation and the coach had engaged in a kind of hide and seek game.
On more than two occasions, the media had waited in vain for the coach and the NFF to seal the deal so even when Tuesday was announced as the new date for the signing, most media practitioners took it with a pinch of salt.
However, the contract signing ceremony which had suffered postponement eventually held but still left some questions begging for answers.
Questions bothering on the worth of Keshi's new contract and those to assist him in doing the job are still waiting for answers. At the signing, the coach kept mum on questions pertaining to his wages and the coaches that would assist him.
Consequently, it is being speculated in the media that former Kano Pillars, Enyimba and El-Kanemi Warriors gaffer Salisu Yusuf who assisted Samson Siasia in the Super Eagles and U20 team is coming back to assist the big boss in place of Daniel Amokachi. However, it is said out of favour former Eagles assistant coach Slyvanus Opara is coming back to his duty post.Matters like this were not spelt out at the signing ceremony leaving space for more speculations in the media.
To make matters worse, the president of the federation, Melvin Amaju Pinnick was 'unavoidably' absent at the signing ceremony. Instead, it was his deputy, Seyi Akinwumi who presided over the ceremony.
The no love lost relationship between the NFF president and Keshi is no longer a secret. Consequently, his absence at the Tuesday ceremony only lent credence to the cold war between him and Keshi.
It will be recalled that one of the first decisions Pinnick made as NFF boss was to ask Keshi to look elsewhere for work. That decision did not come to many as a surprise.
However, his decision was reversed almost immediately on the orders of President Goodluck Jonathan. The sack and recall of Keshi due to orders from 'above' further worsened his relationship with Pinnick.
As a result, even when the coach remained in his position on care-taker basis, it was obvious that his relationship with the federation was anything but cordial.
It was so strained that many said the delay in offering Keshi a fresh deal was done deliberately to buy time for President Jonathan to leave office.
This school of thought argued that since the President had shown a soft spot for Keshi, the present NFF would not want to incur his wrath by sending the former Super Eagles captain away while he (Jonathan) is still at the helm of affairs.
Consequently, when Jonathan failed at the polls, it was generally believed Keshi's coffin will be nailed permanently in due course by the Pinnick led NFF.
It was therefore a surprise to many when the coach was offered a new contract on Tuesday which is less than two weeks to the inauguration of the incoming administration.
Many had concluded that once Jonathan hands over to Buhari on May 29, a substantive coach for the Super Eagles, preferably an expatriate would be appointed.
However, now that the unexpected has happened, Nigerians are asking for how long will this new romance between the NFF and Keshi last.
Most people are of the view that since so many pending questions have been left unanswered, the bubble will soon burst. For such people, any building whose foundation is on sinking sand will not stand the test of erosion or wind.
For such people, since the new romance is built on secrecy, it won't stand the test of time. It is said the knotty issues are still not sorted out and this portends danger.
Whatever is the reason for the change of mind, the NFF has offered Keshi another opportunity to atone for his 'sins' against Nigerian football fans.
Despite winning the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa, Keshi failed to impress most Nigerians with his tactics, team selection and invitation of players.
After a below expectation performance at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Super Eagles under Keshi failed to qualify for the 2015 AFCON in Equatorial Guinea and that was the last straw that broke the Carmel's back.
Keshi has since promised a fresh start for the Super Eagles saying only players who are regulars in their clubs would be considered for the national team.
His employers too have high expectations same with Nigerian football fans. Former Green Eagles player, Kelechi Emetoele therefore said for the coach to succeed, he must be given all the necessary support.
"I don't have much to say about Keshi's appointment. A lot of things were said concerning the contract but now that it has been signed by both parties, we can only support Keshi to succeed.
"
He is one of us and we cannot wish him anything less than good luck. He needs our collective support to take the Super Eagles to greater heights," he said.
The returnee coach signed the contracted shrouded in so much secrecy at a modest ceremony at the Media centre of the Abuja national stadium.
Unlike his first signing, the event did not attract so much publicity and funfair because the football federation and the coach had engaged in a kind of hide and seek game.
On more than two occasions, the media had waited in vain for the coach and the NFF to seal the deal so even when Tuesday was announced as the new date for the signing, most media practitioners took it with a pinch of salt.
However, the contract signing ceremony which had suffered postponement eventually held but still left some questions begging for answers.
Questions bothering on the worth of Keshi's new contract and those to assist him in doing the job are still waiting for answers. At the signing, the coach kept mum on questions pertaining to his wages and the coaches that would assist him.
Consequently, it is being speculated in the media that former Kano Pillars, Enyimba and El-Kanemi Warriors gaffer Salisu Yusuf who assisted Samson Siasia in the Super Eagles and U20 team is coming back to assist the big boss in place of Daniel Amokachi. However, it is said out of favour former Eagles assistant coach Slyvanus Opara is coming back to his duty post.Matters like this were not spelt out at the signing ceremony leaving space for more speculations in the media.
To make matters worse, the president of the federation, Melvin Amaju Pinnick was 'unavoidably' absent at the signing ceremony. Instead, it was his deputy, Seyi Akinwumi who presided over the ceremony.
The no love lost relationship between the NFF president and Keshi is no longer a secret. Consequently, his absence at the Tuesday ceremony only lent credence to the cold war between him and Keshi.
It will be recalled that one of the first decisions Pinnick made as NFF boss was to ask Keshi to look elsewhere for work. That decision did not come to many as a surprise.
However, his decision was reversed almost immediately on the orders of President Goodluck Jonathan. The sack and recall of Keshi due to orders from 'above' further worsened his relationship with Pinnick.
As a result, even when the coach remained in his position on care-taker basis, it was obvious that his relationship with the federation was anything but cordial.
It was so strained that many said the delay in offering Keshi a fresh deal was done deliberately to buy time for President Jonathan to leave office.
This school of thought argued that since the President had shown a soft spot for Keshi, the present NFF would not want to incur his wrath by sending the former Super Eagles captain away while he (Jonathan) is still at the helm of affairs.
Consequently, when Jonathan failed at the polls, it was generally believed Keshi's coffin will be nailed permanently in due course by the Pinnick led NFF.
It was therefore a surprise to many when the coach was offered a new contract on Tuesday which is less than two weeks to the inauguration of the incoming administration.
Many had concluded that once Jonathan hands over to Buhari on May 29, a substantive coach for the Super Eagles, preferably an expatriate would be appointed.
However, now that the unexpected has happened, Nigerians are asking for how long will this new romance between the NFF and Keshi last.
Most people are of the view that since so many pending questions have been left unanswered, the bubble will soon burst. For such people, any building whose foundation is on sinking sand will not stand the test of erosion or wind.
For such people, since the new romance is built on secrecy, it won't stand the test of time. It is said the knotty issues are still not sorted out and this portends danger.
Whatever is the reason for the change of mind, the NFF has offered Keshi another opportunity to atone for his 'sins' against Nigerian football fans.
Despite winning the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa, Keshi failed to impress most Nigerians with his tactics, team selection and invitation of players.
After a below expectation performance at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Super Eagles under Keshi failed to qualify for the 2015 AFCON in Equatorial Guinea and that was the last straw that broke the Carmel's back.
Keshi has since promised a fresh start for the Super Eagles saying only players who are regulars in their clubs would be considered for the national team.
His employers too have high expectations same with Nigerian football fans. Former Green Eagles player, Kelechi Emetoele therefore said for the coach to succeed, he must be given all the necessary support.
"I don't have much to say about Keshi's appointment. A lot of things were said concerning the contract but now that it has been signed by both parties, we can only support Keshi to succeed.
"
He is one of us and we cannot wish him anything less than good luck. He needs our collective support to take the Super Eagles to greater heights," he said.
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