Former Green Eagles Defender Lambasts NFF Over Keshi Query

Former Nigeria player Waheed Akanni has lambasted the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for issuing a query to Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi.

Akanni said the country’s football governing body has chosen the wrong time to issue the query, adding that such act could derail Keshi’s World Cup plans.

“I think there are other ways to handle whatever Keshi is doing right now. They should not place him under too much pressure. They should not have given Keshi a query right now,” Akanni told Goal.

“We all need to find a way to support Keshi but not to be giving query. The man needs to concentrate on the World Cup plans and how to lead the team to success in Brazil, not unwarranted controversies.

“He has about 100 players to pick only 23 from for the World Cup so if he is being bombarded by queries how is he going to concentrate to do the job well. So they need to leave Keshi alone to concentrate on the job. They should let him do his job and give him all the support he needs.

In its query, the NFF accused Keshi of traveling to the USA without permission, thereby missing a presidential reception organised for the bronze winning home based team after after the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in February.

The NFF was also said to be upset by the Nigeria coach’s decision to ignore a technical committee meeting in Abuja last week, instead the former Super Eagles captain opted attend a media discussion in Lagos.

Akanni was Keshi’s team mate during his brief spells in the Green Eagles squad between 1986 and 1989. He was also a member of the national under-20 team that won bronze medal at the 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship in Soviet Union.

The NFF issued a query to Keshi last week after the coach failed to attend a technical committee meeting in Abuja, instead choosing to attend a media roundtable in Lagos organized by national team sponsors TomTom.

The accusations also include his decision to travel to meet his family in the United States, thereby missing the Presidential reception for the team after the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in February.

Akanni who featured as a defender for the Eagles during brief spells between 1986 to 1989 was a team mate of Keshi’s.

“I think there are other ways to handle whatever Keshi is doing right now. They should not place him under too much pressure. They should not have given Keshi a query right now,” Akanni told Goal.

“We all need to find a way to support Keshi but not to be giving query. The man needs to concentrate on the World Cup plans and how to lead the team to success in Brazil, not unwarranted controversies.

“He has about 100 players to pick only 23 from for the World Cup so if he is being bombarded by queries how is he going to concentrate to do the job well. So they need to leave Keshi alone to concentrate on the job. They should let him do his job and give him all the support he needs.