Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is considering a Plan B to execute the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Rwanda on September 5, if Coach Stephen Keshi’s contract renewal is not completed before the match.
The NFF has admitted that contract negotiations with Keshi may drag on into September, when the Super Eagles begin their qualifiers for the Morocco 2015 AFCON and there is urgent need for the preparation to start anytime from now.
Speaking on Hot Fm radio station yesterday, NFF Executive Committee member, Mr. Deji Tinubu, admitted that talks between the federation and Keshi could stretch into when the qualifiers will begin.
Deji Tinubu said. “It’s possible that our discussions with Keshi could stretch into when we play our first qualifier, but we have made plans for such eventuality,”
“We have a Plan B if negotiations with Keshi are not completed before the qualifiers. There is a plan in place to take care of that, and if it does happen that we didn’t conclude negotiations with him, then we’ll put the other plan in motion,” he said.
Deji Tinubu also confirmed that the NFF had sent a draft of the new contract to Keshi, who is presently in the USA, for consideration and to either send a counterdraft or agreement, saying however, that they expect a counter-draft with Keshi’s own demands.
“We received a letter of acceptance from him on Monday, after we sent him a letter of intent last week.”
It had been earlier reported that contract negotiations between Keshi and the NFF may linger given the list of demands the coach tendered to continue as coach of the African champions.
Part of Keshi’s demands, it is believed, is a 100 per cent increment on his N5million monthly salary which should see him earn N10million monthly.
He also wants one of his trusted comrades, Sylvanus Okpala, to be returned as one of his assistants, and the salary of Valere Houandonou, another assistant to be paid for by the NFF.
Keshi had been paying the Togolese out of his own pocket.
