by Tega Onojaife

Super Eagles head coach, Stephen Keshi, has been sacked by the new Nigerian Football Federation board over poor performance. This is despite Nigeria’s win over Sudan in an African Cup of Nations Qualifier last night. Sacked along with Keshi are his back-room coaching staff including, Daniel Amokachi and Ike Shoronmu. All three have been offered an NFF-sponsored coaching course in any part of the world they desire.

In the meantime, three time Eagles’ coach, Amodu Shuaibu, has been named caretaker boss to oversee the remainder of Nigeria’s qualifiers.

Amodu will be assisted by El-Kanemi Warriors head coach Salisu Yusuf, Gbenga Ogunbote of Sharks and former Eagles goalkeeper, Alloysius Agwu. Their tenure will be for just the remaining qualifying games against Congo and South Africa after which a foreign coach will be appointed.

Shaibu Amodu’s first time out as Super Eagles coach was between 1994 and 1997 and he was sacked after the team drew 1-1 against Kenya away from home in the qualifying round of the France 98 World Cup.

Amodu returned in 2001 after the Bonfrere Jo led coaching crew of the Eagles were bottom of a 2002 World Cup qualifying group of Sudan, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Liberia. The team won against Ghana, Liberia and Sudan away to qualify for the World Cup.

Amodu was sacked after the Eagles finished 3rd at the AFCON in Mali and could not lead the team to the World Cup in Japan/ South Korea.

Again he returned in 2008 to qualify Nigeria for the AFCON and World Cup of 2010 yet after leading the team to finish 3rd at the AFCON he was sacked and could not lead the team to the World Cup.

Shaibu got in the bad books of the Nigerian sporting media when he allegedly said there were no talent in the Nigerian league good enough for the Super Eagles.

YEditor