The lingering impasse in the
selection of a substantive coach for the Super Eagles has forced a scheduled
meeting between the National Sports Commission and the Nigeria Football
Federation.
The national team has been without a
coach since the contract of Stephen Keshi ran out with the 2014 World Cup held
in Brazil and the negotiation between the coach and his employers has dragged
on.
The PUNCH can confirm that the
meeting has been fixed for Monday in Abuja. The original date for the meeting
was Wednesday (today) but had to be moved to Monday because the Minister of
Sports Dr. Tammy Danagogo travelled out of Abuja.
A top official of the ministry, who
spoke with our correspondent on Monday, said the meeting had become necessary
as they could no longer watch and wait for the media war between the NFF and
Keshi to last through the year without any good result.
He said, “They (NFF) have scheduled
a match for the Eagles against Bolivia on the 26th of this month and there’s
still no coach for Nigeria. As a matter of fact we have been without a coach
since last year. But how long are we going to continue like this?
“The friendly is even a minor issue
if we compare it to the fact that the qualifiers for the 2017 Africa Cup of
Nations will soon start while we are still groping. We have watched from the
sidelines but if an intervention is necessary for us to move forward, then it
has to be. If they want Keshi, then let them settle with him and let’s move on.
Whichever way, we have to move forward now.”
Further checks by our correspondent
suggested that the NSC officials may press the NFF members to settle their differences
with Keshi and sign him on. Even though the NFF members have handed the coach
contract papers to sign, the former Eagles captain has deferred putting down
his signature . Instead, he described the document as a “slavery contract.”
Close watchers of the scenario
believe the officials of the NFF are indirectly asking Keshi to move on so that
they can search for a manager they truly desire. Keshi had been asked to go but
was recalled midway into the AFCON 2015 qualifiers reportedly on presidential fiat.
“But since they have now said they
want him, they should straighten things out with him and sign him,” an official
of the sports ministry told The PUNCH.
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