Football: Reasons behind Stephen Keshi sack

Report yesterday showed that the decision to sack Stephen Keshi as Super Eagles’ coach was hastened by events surrounding Nigeria’s African Nations Cup qualifier against Chad, among other issues.

A report by AfricanFootball.com revealed that the Chris Green-led NFF disciplinary committee in their report to the federation indicated that the actions and inactions of Keshi showed that he could no longer be trusted with the Eagles job.

Among the allegations against Keshi was his decision to include Gabriel Okechukwu in the Eagles squad against Chad in the AFCON qualifier in Kaduna, as well as an alleged plan to dessert Nigeria in the middle of the AFCON qualifiers for Cote d’Ivoire if he got the job.

The committee’s report alleged that standards in the team were compromised and that the coach did not use the best of his skills and commitment to develop the game.

It said: “From the facts given and evidence of the fact that Gabriel Okechukwu was invited from a non-league football club that only existed by name whereas there are a number of talented players who play in the leagues thereby compromising his position and failing in his duties in flagrant breach of Clause 5.8 of his contract of employment.

“He also did not consult and there is no evidence suggesting that he consulted with the Federations Technical Study Group in the selection of players invited to the Super Eagles in breach of Clause 5.4.”

On the allegation that Keshi applied for the vacant Cote d’Ivoire job, the committee said; “It is an uncontroverted fact that Mr. Stephen Keshi’s name was listed amongst 58 others that applied for the vacant coaching job in the Les Elephants published in the official website of FIF and reported widely by local and international media such as BBCsports, Supersport, Goal.com etc.

“During further investigation, it was discovered that an application together with the CV of Mr. Stephen Keshi were sent by his agent Hermann Brice De Souza to the panel set up by FIF to screen and recommend for appointment coach for the Les Elephants on 11th June, 2015.

“It was also discovered that the said Hermann Brice De Souza did also write to withdraw the said application on June 20, 2015 without any reason adduced for the withdrawal. ”