Friday, 19 June 2015

Keshi loses power on Nigeria squad


Nigeria head coach, Stephen Keshi, will no longer make a unilateral decision in the selection of the Super Eagles squad for international matches.

President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, disclosed that the Super Eagles gaffer "will still have his input" in calling up players but will now have to be supervised by the technical director, Shuaibu Amodu.



Keshi is also likely to work with the technical study group headed by his former national teammate, Austin Okocha, who is now chairman of the Delta State FA.

Pinnick further stated that Amodu has been directed by the football federation to wield his powers as technical director as the NFF will hold him responsible, and not Keshi, "if anything happens."

"Keshi will still have his input (in the team). The only people who are not really working well now is the technical study group because it is a process. He doesn't have the liberty anymore to say he wants to bring in players from places.

"We must look at all the players (he invites from now on) and it must go through the technical department and Amodu will certainly make a comment. And like I told him (Shuaibu Amodu), if anything happens we are not going to hold Keshi responsible but we are going to hold you responsible because you are a part of it. And we made him to understand that and he said 'yes sir.' So if you say you want to be Keshi's friend - we are not fighting anybody - or you want to compromise but you are the technical director and we are going to hold you responsible. And he said 'yes.' So he is very strong and is not just a passing technical director," said Pinnick.

Keshi only signed a new two-year contract recent to return as Nigeria manager, and his first task is to qualify the Super Eagles for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in a qualifying group that includes Egypt, Chad and Tanzania.


Nigeria kicked off their campaign in the Afcon qualification with a 2-0 win in Kaduna last Saturday with Gbolahan Salami and Odion Ighalo getting the goals.

SOURCE

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