Nigeria football bosses shelve Keshi contract talks

Nigeria's Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi arrives on June 4, 2013 at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Keshi’s future as Nigeria coach hangs in the balance with a decision on whether he stays on only likely to come in the days before the team’s next crunch game. PHOTO| CHRIS OMOLLO

What you need to know:

  • But talks with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) ran cold because of the leadership wrangles at the association that prompted a league boycott and saw Fifa threaten a ban from international competition
  • A vote has been set for September 30 — 10 days before Nigeria, with only one point from two games, take on Sudan in a must-win Africa Cup of Nations qualifier

ABUJA

Stephen Keshi’s future as Nigeria coach hangs in the balance with a decision on whether he stays on only likely to come in the days before the team’s next crunch game.

The 52-year-old has agreed to renew his contract and even handled the Super Eagles’ first two matches in the competition without a new deal after the intervention of Nigeria’s sports minister.

But talks with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) ran cold because of the leadership wrangles at the association that prompted a league boycott and saw Fifa threaten a ban from international competition.

“It is up to the NFF to decide who handles the Eagles,” said Patrick Omorodion, spokesman for sports minister Tammy Danagogo.

“The minister only requested that Keshi should handle the two games, since there was a vacuum.” Fifa’s decision not to ban Nigeria was conditional on new elections being held for the NFF management within the shortest possible timeframe.

A vote has been set for September 30 — 10 days before Nigeria, with only one point from two games, take on Sudan in a must-win Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

But whether Keshi stays in charge is not a given, raising the prospect of another troubled build-up. “It is only fair that the new NFF leadership be saddled with the responsibility of deciding the fate of Keshi,” said one senior official, who asked not to be identified.