A former coach of the national team, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde, highly respected for his candid opinion on football matters, has revealed how he advised Keshi against assenting to President Jonathan’s request to come back and manage the Super Eagles.
Keshi’s contract with the Nigeria Football Federation elapsed after the 2014 World Cup. The coach was recalled by the Minister of Sports and Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Tammy Danagogo to oversee the first phase of Nigeria’s 2015 Afcon qualifiers against Congo, Sudan and South Africa.
Keshi recorded a home loss against Congo, an away draw against South Africa and a loss to Sudan. It was Sudan’s first victory over Nigeria in over three decades.
Although he won the return fixture 3-1 in Abuja, the newly constituted NFF board fired him, hours after that match in Abuja.
But the Presidency intervened and Keshi was taken back as Eagles coach. His attempt to qualify Nigeria for the 2015 Afcon, where the Eagles would have defended the title they won in 2013 ended in a disaster as they failed to beat South Africa in Uyo. This has sparked off calls for Keshi’s sack.
The technical director of the NFF, Amodu Shaibu, once Keshi’s boss has voiced his disapproval of Keshi’s continuous stay, branding him, “a failure.”
On Onigbinde’s part, Onigbinde said, “on the very day the Presidency asked him to return to his job I personally sent him a text message to politely thank Mr President for the offer and bow out honourably and quietly, too.
“Keshi respectfully replied the text message thanking me and that was it as he went ahead with the two remaining 2015 AFCON qualifying matches against Congo and South Africa, I’m sure the rest is history.”
Chief Onigbinde said further, “I volunteered the advice to Keshi because I understand that he won’t work with the Presidency but a different set of people as well as an entirely different environment.
“Now that others have picked up the calls I have the privilege to have said over two months ago I won’t like to engage in an exercise that will appear repetitious so that I won’t be accused of having interest in the whole matter.
“I’m not used to pressurising people to act in certain way, I’ve passed my view directly to him, I don’t need to pressurise him further on same thing.”
Another prominent Nigerian coach, Kashimawo Laloko has also expressed surprise at Keshi’s reluctance to leave the national team. Said he, “Keshi has shown he doesn’t have the tactical ability to lead the Super Eagles to success in the future. The manner in which he failed with the team is woeful; he should go.”
Continuing, Laloko said, “This should not be seen as a witch-hunt.
Every coach that has failed with any team has always been asked to leave. Why should Keshi’s case be different? We need to have another coach so the team can move on. Amodu has said it well, so has Chukwu.
