Brazil 2014: Sports minister backs Keshi to lead Eagles

 

Minister of Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, on Wednesday said the Federal Government had confidence in the ability of the Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, to lead the national team to the Brazil 2014 World Cup.

He however added that if Keshi feels he needs additional technical support, the government would gladly oblige him.

Abdullahi spoke with State House correspondents shortly after formally briefing the Federal Executive Council of the Golden Eaglets success in the just-concluded FIFA Under-17 World Cup and the Super Eagles qualification for the their fifth Mundial.

He said although his ministry was reviewing the team’s recent matches, Keshi had to a large extent done a good job.

He said, “As you well know, the season has just ended, the national teams have shut down for the year and this gives us opportunity to review performances through the year.

“If Keshi who we believe has done a very good job feels he needs additional technical support, we are going to give it to him. But we are confident he is capable of doing the job. We have confidence in his ability to lead the team to the World Cup.”

On Keshi’s salary, Abdullahi blamed the inability of Nigeria Football Federation to pay him his salary arrears on “system problems” the News Agency of Nigeria reports. He said that the ministry and the NFF were however working towards resolving the issues which caused the delay in the payment of the salaries.

The minister then blamed Keshi for speaking to the media on the issue. He said Keshi should have given his employers enough time to resolve the matter, instead of taking it to the media.

“If the NFF is having problems paying Keshi’s salary, it means that the system has a problem and that problem has to be addressed. It is unfortunate that Keshi had to make it a media issue, because it is something that could have been addressed internally,’’ Abdullahi said.

He said that the NSC had already waded into the matter.

“We are taking the right steps to support the NFF to meet this obligation. But, for me, it is not something that is supposed to be a media issue. Do you boycott working or call a press conference because somebody owes you salary? You don’t go about embarrassing your employers because your salary is delayed.”

The minister, however, assured that the ministry would do all that was necessary to resolve the matter.