With the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF and Super Eagles manager, Stephen Keshi yet to reach a deal on his new contract, President General of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Dr. Rafiu Ladipo has pleaded for the Delta State-born gaffer to be retained in the position.
Dr. Ladipo, who paid a condolence visit to the management of the Sun Publishing Company Limited at the its corporate headquarters in Lagos said the need to keep Keshi is for the sake of continuity. He noted that a new man at the helm would only destroy the structures that Keshi and his technical crew had put in place before now.
“Keshi has done well with the Super Eagles winning the Nations Cup in South Africa and taking Nigeria to the round of 16 in the World Cup in Brazil. Though, we had a chance to go beyond France but failed, due to the quality of players we took to Brazil for the World Cup. That said, I still think that we need to retain Keshi in that position for the sake of continuity. However, he needs to be assisted with technical hands because this aspect was clearly lacking at the World Cup.
“From the area of goalkeeping to defence, the midfield, the wings and striking positions, it was clear that the job was too much for one man. Keshi needs to accept assistance from home or even a foreigner, but remains as the man in charge. He will be shooting himself on the leg if he refuses assistance because football has gone scientific. He should also remember that a coach is as good as the result of his last match. Nigerians should be patient with him and forget the result of the match in Calabar.”
Speaking on Nigeria’s ouster at the FIFA World Cup in Brazil 2014, Dr. Ladipo admitted that Keshi took some players who had no business being in Brazil to the World Cup and pointed out that it was for this reason that it took him and his crew close to three minutes before getting someone to substitute for injured Ogenyi Onazi in the game against France.
On the crisis that rocked the Nigeria Football Supporters Club after the World Cup, forcing the secretariat to be sealed, Ladipo confirmed that there was crisis, but not because of positions.
“Obviously, we could not take all our members to Brazil for the World Cup, but on our return there was a disagreement between those who were in Brazil and those who were not. The altercation attracted us and the Deputy President General of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Alhaji Aderenle Yusuf to go and seal the place up.
“As I speak with you, sanity has returned and the Secretariat has been reopened. We’ve had two meeting there and the cases are being handled. There’s no cause for alarm.”
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