Keshi: I'm Okay With Eagles Job

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Late Stephen Keshi

Chief Coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi has told who cares to listen that he is happy handling the country’s senior national team for now.

Keshi, who was reportedly listed as an applicant by the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) alongside 58 other coaches denied he ever applied for the job. Keshi is one of two Africans on the list. The other is Ivoirian Yelato Silue.

“If Keshi is to leave, his contract is explicit on how he can go about it, but he is happy with his job and he is willing to see out his two-year contract, we don’t know why people are creating crisis where there is none,” said Emmanuel Ado, Keshi’s agent.

Ado said if Keshi was to apply for the Ivory Coast job, he would be the one to handle it and he never sent Keshi’s CV to the Ivorian Football Federation.

“Keshi did not apply for the Ivory Coast job. I am his official agent and I am the one that would have done that on his behalf if he was interested,” he said.

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Coach Stephen Keshi
Coach Stephen Keshi

Ado disclosed that the purported Keshi’s application with Ivory Coast might have been the hand work of ‘freelance’ agents who may have acted independently to cash in on the clout of Keshi and applied on his behalf believing that they could benefit if the deal pulls through.

“I was the one that negotiated Keshi’s contract in Togo, Mali, when he was discussing with Equatorial Guinea and here in Nigeria, we know what is his current contract and we are professionals and would not go against a signed agreement,” Ado said.

Though the page on FIF website listing Keshi and 58 other applicants for the Elephants job has been taken down, but Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, says it would investigate the report linking Keshi with the Ivorians

“The NFF will open a full investigation to determine whether Mr. Stephen Keshi actually applied for the vacant Ivory Coast job,” NFF spokesman Ademola Olajire told BBC Sport.

“There will be no hasty decision. We hope to get a full part from the Ivory Coast football federation before making an official statement.”

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