The Nigeria Football Federation have relieved Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi and his assistants Daniel Amokachi and Ike Shorunmu of their duties following Nigeria’s unimpressive run in the 2015 African Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The Eagles are third in the Group A of the AFCON 2015 qualification table with just four points after three games. The African champions lost to Congo and Sudan and managed to hold South Africa to a barren draw.
The Executive Committee of the NFF rose from its meeting which started late on Wednesday, immediately after the 3-1 win over Sudan, and ended early hours of Thursday morning and opted to remove Keshi and appoint Shuaibu Amodu as the interim coach of the national team.
The one-time BCC Lions coach who qualified Nigeria to its second World Cup appearance in 2002 and took the team to that year’s African Cup of Nations finals in Mali will be assisted by Salisu Yususf, Gbenga Ogunbote and goalkeeper trainerAlloy Agu. The trio will be in charge of the national team pending the appointment of a foreign manager on a permanent basis.
Keshi, Amokachi and Shorounmu will however proceed on a coaching course at the expense of the Nigeria Football Federation. Their entitlements, according to the NFF, will be paid within the next two weeks.
The team’s Secretary, Dayo Enebi, however retained his job.
The NFF also confirmed the appointment of former Eagles coach, Samson Siasia, as the new coach of the country’s U-23 national team. Siasia will be assisted by Fatai Amoo, while the Technical and Development will recommend the other members of the crew.
The NFF’s communiqué, signed by Suleiman Kwande, after the meeting held in Abuja at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel is as follows:
1) The Committee, unanimously, praised the excellent contributions of the technical crew of the Senior National Team, Super Eagles, led by Mr. Stephen Keshi, to the glorious accomplishments of the team in the past three years, and hailed Keshi, Daniel Amokachi and Ike Shorounmu as true national heroes. However, in the interest of Nigeria football and the desire to ensure qualification for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations finals, the Committee decided to relieve them of their duties with immediate effect.
2) In recognition of their contributions to the Nigeria game, the Executive Committee also approved that the trio of Keshi, Amokachi and Shorounmu should proceed to any coaching course of their choice in any country of their choice to build their capacity, at the expense of the NFF. All their entitlements will be paid within the next fortnight.
3) Committee also, unanimously, approved the appointment of a consortium of coaches to lead the Super Eagles for ONLY the two concluding matches of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series (against Congo in Brazzaville and against South Africa in Uyo), after which an expatriate Coach will be appointed. The consortium, led by Amodu Shaibu, also has Salisu Yusuf, Gbenga Ogunbote and Aloysius Agu. The team also has a new Coordinator in former international Garba Lawal, while Toyin Ibitoye is the new Media Officer and Godfirst Chike is the new Equipment Manager. Team Secretary, Enebi Achor, is retained.
4) The Committee also appointed Mr. Samson Siasia as the new Head Coach of the U-23 Men’s Team. He will be assisted by Fatai Amoo, while the Technical and Development will recommend the other members of the crew.
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