ABUJA – Shuaibu Amodu, the interim Super Eagles Head Coach, has asked the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to allow Stephen Keshi to continue handling the national senior male football team.
Amodu’s plea is contained in a letter dated Oct. 27 and addressed to NFF Chairman Amaju Pinnick, through the Chairman of the Technical Committee.
He said Keshi should handle the team’s remaining matches in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, against Congo on Nov. 15 and South Africa on Nov. 19.
Amodu who is the NFF’s National Technical Director was named as new Head Coach penultimate week.
He said he wanted Keshi reconsidered for the two matches as the time-frame was “too short to tinker with the fabric of the squad or start to build a new one altogether’’.
The coach said his decision was after wide consultations he had carefully made within the past two weeks since the appointment, and for the sake of professionalism.
“I want to specially appeal to you to reconsider the matter and allow Keshi to finish the project that he has started — the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying race.
“My opinion also is that the time-frame is too short to start tinkering with the fabric of the team or attempt to build a new team altogether,’’ he said.
Amodu said he was ready and willing, as National Technical Director, to help build a better relationship between Keshi, the players and the NFF Technical Committee.
He said this was going to be possible because he had enjoyed good working relationship with Keshi in the past and he (Keshi) was still very close to him.
“I am assuring that I will offer whatever assistance is required by Keshi and his crew for the remaining two matches, and also be there to offer advice, suggestions and efforts towards building a stronger Super Eagles after the qualifying race,’’ the coach had said.
Nigeria play Congo Brazzaville in Pointe Noire on Nov. 15 before taking on South Africa in Uyo four days later.
The Super Eagles need to not only win both matches but defeat Congo by a margin of two goals away to stand any chance of qualifying for the 2015 finals.(NAN)
