As Eagles storm Abuja for presidential reception
SUPER Eagles’ Coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, who led Nigeria to its third triumph in the African Nations Cup on Sunday, reportedly resigned his appointment as the chief coach of the national team Monday.
The Super Eagles on Sunday defeated Burkina Faso 1-0 to win the Nations Cup trophy for the first time in 19 years, a feat that makes Keshi the second person to win the trophy both as a player and a coach.
Although The Guardian could not confirm the story direct from the Eagles coach, MTNFootball.com reports that Keshi told South African radio station, Metro FM, that he handed in his resignation letter after the cup final on Sunday night.
“I gave them (NFF) my letter of resignation immediately after last night’s game, but I haven’t heard from them yet,” Keshi reportedly told the station.
Keshi had hinted after one of the matches of the just concluded Nations Cup that he might not remain in the job after the competition.
Another source, who pleaded anonymity, said Keshi’s action might not be unconnected with the reported moves by the NFF to appoint Belgian, Tom Saintfiet, as the national teams’ technical director.
Keshi in South Africa kicked against African countries’ penchant to employ ‘carpenters and bricklayers’ as national team coaches simply because of the colour of their skin.
Elaborating the story, a source, who claims to be Keshi’s close confidant, Emmanuel Ado, told journalists in Kaduna Monday that the coach decided to leave after fulfilling his promise to Nigerians to lift the African Cup of Nations.
According to Ado, the Super Eagles coach merchant said the disunity in the football family and Nigerians’ lack of faith in him were some of the reasons he was leaving.
Ado said, “Stephen Keshi has asked me to announce his resignation as the national coach with immediate effect.
It has nothing to do with late payment of his salary or lack of house or car. It is the lack of unity in the football family.
“He is grateful to the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for his support.”
Ado said Keshi contacted him on Saturday to make the decision public, adding that the coach made up his mind to quit two weeks ago.
“It has been an on going thing, but Keshi decided that enough was enough two weeks ago and asked me to announce it to Nigerians. He will give further details of the decision later,” Ado said.
When contacted, Super Eagles Media Officer, Ben Alaiya, who is in South Africa with Keshi, said his boss had not told him of any intention to quit the job.
Alaiya, who has been working with Keshi since the ‘Big Boss’ took over the Super Eagles in 2011, directed The Guardian to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), “who should know if Keshi has left his job.”
Also speaking on the issue, NFF Media Officer, Ademola Olajire described the story as “news to me because we were all with Keshi on Sunday and he did not say anything like that.
“We are coming back to Nigeria tomorrow (today) where the Presidency will host the team and to the best of my knowledge Keshi will lead the technical crew to that reception.”
Meanwhile, the Super Eagles’ contingent will depart Johannesburg on this morning and arrive at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja in the afternoon.
Sports Minister, Bolaji Abdullahi, who worked assiduously with the NFF’s top echelon to accomplish the glorious outing, will lead the Nigeria delegation of players, officials, NFF president, NSC management, NFF Executive Committee members and Management, NSC and NFF staff, stakeholders, media representatives and members of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club, from the O.R. Tambo International Airport.
NFF officials confirmed that the players and officials will be driven into the Abuja metropolis in a motorcade, straight to the Presidential Villa, where President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR will host the team to a Grand State Reception and reward players and officials.