NFF stick with Amodu

Posted: 2009-09-10 15:14

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have announced that the country's coach, Shuaibu Amodu, will not be sacked, even though they are now walking a tightrope in their quest to qualify for next year's World Cup.

Nigeria's Super Eagles were forced to a 2-2 draw at home by group leaders Tunisia on Sunday and so remain in second place in Group 2, two points behind the pace-setters with only the top team reaching the finals in South Africa.

Top government officials, the public and the media have called for Amodu to be sacked for incompetence.

However, the technical committee of the NFF has now thrown its weight behind Amodu, asking him to continue in his job for the remaining two qualifiers.

“Taking panicky measures at this time may even worsen the situation, so sacking Amodu may not be the best solution to the problem at hand," said technical committee member Adeboye Onigbinde.

"If a new coach comes in, is he going to throw away all the players we used during the last match against Tunisia and bring down his own players? And how long does he have to do that? And what is going to happen?”

Amodu took over from German coach Berti Vogts in April 2008 after Nigeria crashed out in the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana.

Onigbinde, who led Nigeria to the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan, disclosed that the technical committee also took several other decisions regarding the country's team.

“A few decisions were taken at the meeting with the coach. First, we are looking into the possibility of improving the team with some new players," he said.

“We are pleading not only with the members of the technical committee, but with anybody who has ideas to come out and help the team this time around.

“The question of the players is very vital in this matter. It is as important as the question of technical handlers. If you bring the best coach in the world, but the attitude of the players doesn’t change, you won’t have any good results.

“So we have resolved that when these players are invited and they come down we are going to talk to them and make them see reasons as to why they should have the right attitude and determination to win the remaining matches, while we pray for a slip from Tunisia in any of their matches.”