The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has given the Head Coach of the Super Eagles Stephen Okechukwu Keshi till mid-night, March 15, to accept the new contract offer sent to him or forget about the job entirely. NFF president, Amaju Pinnick gave the ultimatum while speaking to newsmen in Abuja on Friday.
Pinnick said that the football house had given the coach enough time to study and respond to the contract and, if somehow, he does not respond before or by mid-night of March 15, he should forget the job, because “time does not permit us to continue waiting for the coach”.
According to him, the federation is determined to name the new Super Eagles head coach not later than next week.
“The new contract offer made to Keshi was thoroughly packaged in line with international best practices and based on what the federation can afford to give.
“We expected him to tell us whether he agrees with the contract offer or not. If he has anything against the contract, he should let us know and not to talk to us via the pages of newspapers,” he said.
He insisted that nobody is forcing Keshi on the federation, as the coach has brought some pluses to the team that needed to be built upon. “Keshi has been able to instill appreciable discipline in the team and, if you look at the realities on ground, you will agree that Keshi exposed some local talents by bringing them up. So, whether you like it or not there are some pluses that we think he can build on, but nothing is sinister about it.”
This new development means that at the expiration of the 10-day ultimatum, Keshi’s acceptance or otherwise will determine if the federation will go in search of another coach, 11 days before the team’s two international friendlies against Bolivia in Uyo (March 26) and 14 days before it takes on Bafana Bafana of South Africa (March 29) in London.
Pinnick said that the football house had given the coach enough time to study and respond to the contract and, if somehow, he does not respond before or by mid-night of March 15, he should forget the job, because “time does not permit us to continue waiting for the coach”.
According to him, the federation is determined to name the new Super Eagles head coach not later than next week.
“The new contract offer made to Keshi was thoroughly packaged in line with international best practices and based on what the federation can afford to give.
“We expected him to tell us whether he agrees with the contract offer or not. If he has anything against the contract, he should let us know and not to talk to us via the pages of newspapers,” he said.
He insisted that nobody is forcing Keshi on the federation, as the coach has brought some pluses to the team that needed to be built upon. “Keshi has been able to instill appreciable discipline in the team and, if you look at the realities on ground, you will agree that Keshi exposed some local talents by bringing them up. So, whether you like it or not there are some pluses that we think he can build on, but nothing is sinister about it.”
This new development means that at the expiration of the 10-day ultimatum, Keshi’s acceptance or otherwise will determine if the federation will go in search of another coach, 11 days before the team’s two international friendlies against Bolivia in Uyo (March 26) and 14 days before it takes on Bafana Bafana of South Africa (March 29) in London.
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