After Le Guen snub, NFF begins 7-day search for new technical adviser

After being snubbed by Frenchman Paul Le Guen, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has begun a fresh search for a technical adviser for the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

According to Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande, chairman, communique drafting committee of the federation, who issued a statement after a meeting of the federation’s executive committee on Wednesday, the new technical adviser will be named “within seven days”.

The federation initially short-listed three applicants for the job; and on Monday, its executive committee named Le Guen as its choice.

But after it emerged on Tuesday that Le Guen was negatively disposed to accepting the job, given some of the terms — such as living in Nigeria and having the target of qualifying to the World Cup — the federation made a quick about-face, saying it hadn’t appointed the former Indomitable Lions coach in the first place.

On Wednesday, the federation put the controversy to bed by announcing that it would name a technical adviser within seven days.

“Following the recommendation of the Technical and Development Sub-Committee, the Board approved the appointment of Mr. Salisu Yusuf as Chief Coach of the Senior Men National Team, Super Eagles and Head of the CHAN team,” read the communique.

“Mr. Imama Amakapabo will serve as Assistant Coach and Mr. Alloy Agu as Goalkeepers’ Trainer. Also approved was the recommendation for Mr. Bitrus Bewarang to become the new National Technical Director. He replaces the late Coach Shaibu Amodu. Board also approved the recommendation for Mr. Nduka Ugbade to return to the U17 National Team as Assistant Coach.

“Executive Committee instructed the Technical and Development Sub –Committee to, within the next seven (7) days, recommend a candidate for the post of Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles. It noted that the refusal of Mr. Paul Le Guen, earlier recommended by the Sub –Committee, to accept to be given targets as well as unwillingness to live in Nigeria, made his candidature unacceptable to the Board.

“Committee also disapproved of Mr. Le Guen’s desire to come to the job with two assistants, which would make Nigerian coaches redundant. The Committee noted that it was the desire to show transparency that made the Technical and Development Sub-Committee to make public its recommendation in the first place.

“The Committee further resolved that any candidate that would be so recommended by the Technical and Development Sub-Committee must have accepted to be handed targets and must also be willing to live in Nigeria. In addition, such a candidate must agree to undergo other internal evaluation.

“Executive Committee approved that henceforth, only the Head Coaches of the various National Teams will be on monthly salary, while assistant coaches will receive only bonuses and allowances. The assistant coaches presently in the NFF’s employ have been given till the end of this year to secure substantive employment elsewhere, as the Federation deals squarely with its financial constraints.

“Committee approved that henceforth, all Sub-Committees shall submit reports of their activities to the NFF Board through the General Secretary.”