Agents: Keshi won’t sign ‘slave contract’

Contrary to Tuesday’s assertion by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) that Stephen Keshi will sign a new contract “in a matter of days”, his agents have warned that the 52-year-old will not accept a “slave contract” as negotiations over his return as Super Eagles coach continue.

In a statement on Tuesday, NFF said it was close to reaching an agreement with Keshi and that he was expected to sign a new contract “in a matter of days”. But Keshi’s media assistant, Emmanuel Ado and lawyer Francis Kozah, have warned that suitable figures must be offered before a deal can be reached between both parties.

In his previous contract, Keshi was paid N5m monthly (€23,000)with media reports claiming the Big Boss has insisted on a new contract worth between N10m and N15m (€46,000-€69,000) monthly. Ado, however, says he is worth more than those figures.

“We are ready for give and take, but not a slave contract. We will not sign a slave contract that does not take care of [Keshi’s] interest,” he told Goal.com.

“You media (don’t even know the worth of the coach), I will surprise you. Keshi is bigger than 10 million naira. Keshi is not a 5m or 10m naira coach and he will not sign a contract of such value.

“A club in Angola has offered Keshi a monthly salary of $120,000 (€90,000) recently but he has not taken it. So what is 5 or 10m naira to him?”

NFF spokesman Ademola Olajire is confident though that the two parties will reach an agreement in time for Super Eagles match against Rwanda – an African Nations Cup qualifier at the U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar on September 6, 2014.

“Keshi has not told us anything around 15 million naira; I don’t know where this is coming from. I’m not a part of the small panel put together to speak to him but I know that there’s nothing like 15 million,” Olajire told Goal.com.

“We have no doubt that we are going to come to a mutual agreement which is what the committee has been mandated to present but I will not be able to go into any details about the terms and conditions.

“But having given us a written expression of interest, Mr Keshi is definitely desirous of retaining the position of head coach of the Super Eagles and will be able to come down to the level of the NFF, realising of course that we are not a multi-billionaire organisation.”