A very reliable source in the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF), has hinted that the board are having talks over replacement of the ‘Big Boss’ Stephen Keshi.
Former Super Eagles coach, Samson Siasia is nearest in line to replace Keshi.
Goal.com exclusively gathered from the source (a top NFF official), at the weekend, that the recent ill performances of the Super Eagles at the 2015 AFCON qualifiers has called for the reevaluation of Keshi’s competence.
The source identified the “veto powers” of the National Sports Commission and Sports Minister, Tammy Danagogo favouritism(favouring Keshi) as a barrier to sacking Keshi.
“There are many factors standing in the way of Stephen Keshi to be re- appointed as the Eagles chief coach and I will give you a break-down but before that I must say that Keshi must be most grateful to the Honourable Sports Minister (Tammy Danagogo) for fighting for his retention as the chief coach.
“The minister has never hidden his love and preference for him and he based it on Keshi’s past achievement which he said was more than necessary for him to continue his job. The minister still believes that the Eagles under Keshi could still bounce back and qualify for the 2015 Afcon in Morocco,” the source revealed.
According to the source, NFF believes the Big Boss is not committed to coaching the National team and fears “if something drastic is not done,Nigeria may not be among those nations that would campaign in Morocco 2015.”
He ( the NFF official) continued; saying: “We all know how Keshi threatened to dump the team in South Africa shortly after the Eagles won the 2013 Afcon.
“The controversies generated by this singular action of his put the NFF then in a bad light and so many other crises including the Eagles threatening not to play one of the qualifying matches for the last World Cup as well as during the World Cup proper when the players demanded for their bonuses are all crises that have put negative mark on the NFF.”
Meanwhile, former Eagles coach, Samson Siasia, who left the team in 2011 after failing to deliver is being considered an option to replace Keshi and redeem the National team.
“The reason for the choice of Siasia is that the NFF cannot afford the salary and emoluments of a foreign coach now, so employing a foreign coach to replace Keshi now is out of the issue. But we will know precisely how it goes after Tuesday when NFF elections will take place,” the source concluded.
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