Buhari’s win stalls Keshi’s contract
There are strong indications that Coach Stephen Keshi may not sign the contract as the handler of the Super Eagles after all following the emergence of General Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of the 2015 Presidential Election.
The board of the Nigeria Football Federation met last week to approve the appointment of the coach and Nigerians were waiting for the day when Keshi would officially sign the contract. But multiple sources have told our correspondents that such day may not come following the change in the political landscape of the country.
One of the sources said the NFF officials were completely against the idea of retaining Keshi but they were handicapped by the strong forces behind the coach. The source said that those who were pulling the strings for the coach were very close to the outgoing President, Goodluck Jonathan, and made it extremely difficult for Amaju Pinnick and his executive committee to go for their preferred coach.
However, the source said that the NFF tactically delayed the contract-signing and the unveiling ceremony until after the elections, and is now in position of advantage to reverse their earlier decision on Keshi. “It is becoming clearer now that Keshi will not get the Eagles job because the NFF has a plan already and it is like the plan is working out,” a source at the secretariat of the soccer body told our correspondent.
“It is very clear that this board, just like its predecessor, does not want to retain the services of Mr. Keshi but they have been arm-twisted by powerful PDP politicians. NFF has been very careful over this issue because Pinnick almost lost his job when he sacked Keshi the other time.
That is why they bade their time so well by delaying the appointment of the coach and hoped that something dramatic happened that will hand them the advantage to make their choice. “With the latest event in our polity especially with the victory of Buhari in the Presidential election; the NFF will make an announcement that will hurt Keshi and his camp in the coming days. Everything is about politics and NFF is playing the politics well.”
The board of the Nigeria Football Federation met last week to approve the appointment of the coach and Nigerians were waiting for the day when Keshi would officially sign the contract. But multiple sources have told our correspondents that such day may not come following the change in the political landscape of the country.
One of the sources said the NFF officials were completely against the idea of retaining Keshi but they were handicapped by the strong forces behind the coach. The source said that those who were pulling the strings for the coach were very close to the outgoing President, Goodluck Jonathan, and made it extremely difficult for Amaju Pinnick and his executive committee to go for their preferred coach.
However, the source said that the NFF tactically delayed the contract-signing and the unveiling ceremony until after the elections, and is now in position of advantage to reverse their earlier decision on Keshi. “It is becoming clearer now that Keshi will not get the Eagles job because the NFF has a plan already and it is like the plan is working out,” a source at the secretariat of the soccer body told our correspondent.
“It is very clear that this board, just like its predecessor, does not want to retain the services of Mr. Keshi but they have been arm-twisted by powerful PDP politicians. NFF has been very careful over this issue because Pinnick almost lost his job when he sacked Keshi the other time.
That is why they bade their time so well by delaying the appointment of the coach and hoped that something dramatic happened that will hand them the advantage to make their choice. “With the latest event in our polity especially with the victory of Buhari in the Presidential election; the NFF will make an announcement that will hurt Keshi and his camp in the coming days. Everything is about politics and NFF is playing the politics well.”
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