Jonathan returns Keshi as Eagles coach

Stephen Keshi is set to return as the coach of Nigeria barely two weeks after he was relieved of his position by the Nigeria Football Federation. The PUNCH learnt on authority that Keshi is returning on the orders of President Goodluck Jonathan.

A person with detailed information of happenings at the NFF Secretariat told our correspondent on Thursday that it was only a matter of time before the official announcement would be made by the Federation.

He said, “It is not a question of if he is truly coming back to the Eagles but a matter of when he is resuming and how much he is going to earn.

“This is not an FA decision; this was passed down directly to them from far above and the message was not passed through a third party in the name of special adviser but a direct mouth to ear briefing.”



It was learnt that the NFF was told what to do when the President met with the Federation president Amaju Pinnick and Chris Giwa who was in court against the election of Pinnick. Giwa had to discontinue with the case at the Jos court on Thursday as part of the agreement/decisions reached at the Presidential Villa.

The court case and the protracted wrangling had set Nigeria before the world football ruling body with FIFA threatening to suspend the country. Friday (today) was set as deadline before the President who also received the Super Falcons on Wednesday intervened.

Keshi was dodgy with reporters when asked about his possible return. “Well I am just hearing it from you.

But if the President of my country asked me to return, who am I to refuse,” he told Africanfootball.com.

Even though he refused to confirm or deny, he was at the sports ministry on Thursday where he held a lengthy meeting with the sports minister, Dr. Tammy Danagogo. Details of the meeting were not immediately obtained but it was learnt that it was the first move towards returning Keshi to the position.

The NFF also sent a confusing press release on Thursday explaining that caretaker coach Shaibu Amodu was pleading with the NFF to take back Keshi.

The release claimed Amodu wrote a letter dated October 27 to that effect. The letter was however not made available to the media.

Keshi was asked to move on by the NFF two weeks ago following a string of poor results with the national team. The Eagles are on the brink of missing Morocco 2015 African Nations Cup unless they are able to beat Congo in Pointe Noire and also beat South Africa in Uyo, Nigeria to create a possibility of scaling through to the finals.