The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has heaped the blame of the Super Eagles players’ shameful bonus row on the chief coach of the team, Stephen Keshi, who they believe should have prevented the escalation of the crisis which eventually became a national embarrassment.
The NFF decided not to attend to the issue until the Eagles crashed out of the FIFA Confederations Cup, while the Eagles stand-in captain Vincent Enyeama stated that, the players decided to sheathe their sword on the bonus row until after the Confederations Cup.
The Eagles chief coach has been told to make himself available for a meeting with the NFF immediately the team resume training this weekend in Abuja.
The football house is sad that Keshi who had the capability of quelling the row decided to leave the players to have a field day.
A top official of the NFF said: “We will meet with Keshi immediately the Eagles resume camping in Abuja. We are not happy at the manner the coach allowed his players to create a national disgrace for this country, he is fully aware of the situation on ground and he should have made his players understand.”
The NFF have continuously blamed Keshi for the show of shame in Namibia when Eagles threatened to boycott the Confederations Cup owing to the bonus row.
The Super Eagles will on Sunday assemble in Abuja ahead of a date next week with Cote d’Ivoire in a Championship of African Nations (CHAN) qualifier in Kaduna.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Aminu Maigari has also revealed coach Stephen Keshi will no longer be solely responsible for selecting the squad.
Maigari queried Keshi’s selection for the Confederations Cup in Brazil, which Nigeria exited at the group stage, and said he is dissatisfied with the current set-up.
“The Confederations Cup is a big tournament and that’s why the other teams brought their best players,” Maigari said.
“Spain brought their best players, but we did not. Why would you bring a local player to play Spain at such a big stage?
“This is unacceptable. We have experienced players that were not selected and this is where we have to step in.
‘The coach doesn’t have the sole responsibility on squad selection. We all have to contribute. This team belongs to 165 million people.
“Selections should affect all these people so we cannot continue to let this happen because we need to compete well with others.”
