By Gbenga Jolaosho
Abuja
The crisis rocking the Nigeria Football Federation seems will further worsened the qualifications chances of the Super Eagles for the next year African Cup of Nations as the two factions fighting for the soul of the national football ruling body have given contradictory directives towards preparations for the remaining two games.
While the Amaju Pinnik-led NFF faction has ordered Eagles with Coach Shaibu Amodu in charge to commence training in Warri, Delta Sate, for the next match against Congo, the Ambassador Chris Giwa-led group yesterday also gave a contrary directive that the team should kick start their preparation in Abuja with Stephen Keshi remaining in charge as head coach.
Nigeria is billed to confront the Red Devils of Congo on the 15th of November in Point-Noire in a must win game that will be played on an artificial pitch, and to this end, General Secretary of the NFF, Musa Amadu met the Amodu-led Eagles technical crew and support staff appointed by the Pinnick-led faction inside his office in Abuja and directed them to proceed to Warri Stadium which has artificial pitch to begin their preparations.
According to him: “The pitch in Warri where the Super Eagles will train is an artificial pitch and should provide the required feel and match conditions as the pitch where the game will be played in Congo,” Amadu revealed.
“This is a very crucial game and we cannot afford to take anything for granted.
“After the game in Congo, the team will then proceed to Uyo to prepare for the last qualifier against South Africa,” he added.
But shortly after Amadu concluded his meeting with the Amodu-led technical crew, Chris Giwa in company of some of his board members stormed the Glasshouse to inaugurate the committees he had announced last Friday, but only for him to meet a locked boardroom.
In his chat with the press, he reiterated that Keshi has not been sacked and that he has been instructed to arrive the country today to begin training for the Congo clash.
”I am in touch with Stephen Keshi…we speak, I have told him to report to the country tomorrow to start preparation as we have no time left now”. Adding that compiling the team list to prosecute the two matches are Keshi,s responsibility.
According to the embattled football chief, Keshi will resume in Abuja to start his camping at the usual Bolton White base.
He however did not reveal how the team list was going to be released and with which of the technical committee he will be working with.
The Super Eagles will need to beat Congo with a clear 2 goal margin or get a higher scoreline of victory than Congo got in Calabar to be ahead of the Red Devils in Group A after the November 15 clash. But soccer pundits are however very doubtful of the Eagles achieving this fit with the current confusion the factionalised NFF has thrown the team into.
