MINISTER of Sports and chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Dr Tammuno Danagogo has laid down the rules in respect of a replacement for coach Stephen Keshi, stressing that not just any white-skinned coach will be welcome.
Danagogo, who had earlier expressed his misgivings and surprise over the ouster of the coach, even after winning his last match said in Abuja: "I heard they are bandying some names, mostly white coaches, but the condition I am giving is that I will only accept a white coach whose resume is far far better than that of Keshi."
And he says he has taken this decision in national interest. "My insistence for an indigenous coach is because I want to grow the ranks of the nation's indigenous coaches. Whatever decision they are taking technically should come with that understanding." He added that whoever is coming must have won what Keshi had not won.
Danagogo revealed that after Nigeria's loss in Sudan in a 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, the leadership of the NFF approached him that they wanted to fire Keshi, but he advised against it.
"In fact I thought they would have fired him after the Sudan fiasco, but like I keep saying, this sack is surprising to me.
"I know they are in charge of decisions as far as football is concerned. We have allowed them to do what they deemed fit, but in due time they should be ready for whatever consequence this action brings to the nation's qualification bid for the 2015 Morocco AFCON."
Highly informed sources in the Sports Ministry told journalist that the minister had pleaded with the football authorities to allow Keshi finish the qualification phase before deciding whether to retain him or not.
