NFF goes in search of foreign coach…fires Keshi, Amokachi, hires Amodu, Ogunbote

Wednesday’s 2015 AFCON qualifier 3-1 win against Sudan was not enough to keep Stephen Keshi as Super Eagles Coach. He was axed after the match and one-time coach, Amodu Shuaibu has been asked to lead a consortium of coaches for the final two 2015 AFCON qualifying games.

The NFF Executive Committee said that Keshi and his crew were sacked “in the interest of Nigerian football and the desire to ensure qualification for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations finals”.
According to the NFF, currently led by Amaju Pinnick, after the qualifiers, a foreign technical adviser would be appointed to take up a full time job of building a new Super Eagles.

The NFF might be seeking to tow the line of Ghana FA that sacked and have lined up 5 world class foreign coaches which include Israeli, Avram Grant, former coach of Chelsea; Dutchman Patrick Kluivert, Assistant coach to the Dutch national team in Brazil 2014; Italian, Marco Tardelli, current coach of Watford in England; Swiss, Michel Pont, former Swiss assistant coach and Spaniard, Juan Martinez, former Levante and Valladolid of Spain manager.

The NFF committee has been set up to search for the foreign coach.

Nigeria, African Champions, has had a poor run in the qualifiers, currently third on the qualifying table with just two games left with group leaders DR Congo and South Africa.

Keshi leaves with fellow crew members – Daniel Amokachi (Assistant coach); Ike Shorunmu (goalkeeper coach), Emmanuel Attah (Team Coordinator), Chidi Ngoka (Equipment Manager)

Keshi's two-year contract with the NFF had expired in June, and he had been working in a caretaker capacity, as a matter of fact, on “patriotic grounds”.

The new interim team now includes: Amodu Shuaibu (Head Coach) Gbenga Ogunbote (Assistant Coach) Salisu Yusuf (Assistant coach) Alloy Agu (goalkeeper coach), Garba Lawal (Team coordinator) Godfirst Chike (Equipment manager). Team Secretary, Dayo Enebi retains his position.

Amodu Shuaibu is no stranger to the Super Eagles, a team he managed from April 2001 to February 2002, after winning bronze in Mali 2002 AFCON. He was again appointed Head Coach in April 2008, was sacked February 6, 2010 despite reaching third place in the 2010 AFCON in Angola. Amodu was appointed technical director of Nigeria's national teams in May 2013.

Amodu has managed and won titles with Nigerian clubs, BCC Lions of Gboko and El Kanemi Warriors. He has also managed Shooting Stars, BCC Lions, Orlando Pirates and Sharks F.C.