Why NFF sacked Keshi

More facts have emerged on why the Nigeria Football Federation sacked the Coach of the Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi.

The NFF, in a late night statement on Saturday, announced the sack of the Delta State born coach and his replacement, in acting capacity, by Coach Amodu Shuaibu.

Information available to The Eagle Online has it that the NFF, after thorough investigation, established that Keshi applied for the coaching job of the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire.

Though Keshi denied he did, the NFF Disciplinary Committee, headed by Barrister Chris Green, established that the former captain of the Super Eagles applied to coach the Elephants.

The Cote d’Ivoire Football Federation had last month listed Keshi as part of those shortlisted for the coaching job.

The list was immediately brought down from the website of the CFF and Keshi denied ever applying for the job.

When Keshi appeared before the NFF Disciplinary Committee, he equally denied applying for the job.

But the NFF, after a trip to Abijan, the capital of Cote d’Ivoire, confirmed with documents that he applied for the job.

He was also found to have written a letter to the Ivorian FA seeking for a withdrawal of the initial application following the heat on him by the NFF.

A source told The Eagle Online: “He played into the hands of a body that does not want him and so a part of his contract signed was invoked to nail him.

The NFF said in the statement terminating his contract on Saturday night: “To this end and pursuant to the provisions of Clause 4.3 of the Employment Contract between Mr. Stephen Keshi and the NFF (The Contract) and the various clauses therein, the Nigeria Football Federation has decided to exercise its option to summarily terminate the employment contract of Mr. Stephen Keshi with the Federation with immediate effect.”

It added that the termination was “without prejudice to the settlement of any existing and due financial obligations between the NFF and Mr. Keshi”.

—