EXCLUSIVE
By Shina Oludare

Former Nigeria international Adokiye Amiesimaka has faulted the Nigeria Football Federation over the dismissal of  coach Stephen Keshi as handler of the Super Eagles.

Keshi’s job had come under intense scrutiny since the start of the qualifiers in September following the 3-2 defeat to Congo at home before picking one point in a draw against South Africa in Cape Town.

A further defeat in Khartoum to Sudan made his tenure look like coming to an inglorious end after a fairy tale year in which he led the Super Eagles to victory at the 2013 Afcon in South Africa.

In an interview with Goal, the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations winner who is now a lawyer, said the NFF decision came at a wrong time questioning what the Amaju Pinnick led-board have it in mind to accomplish.

"Well, that is what happens to coaches, they are employed and fired. But in this particular case, I don’t know what Pinnick’s board intends to achieve,” Amasiemaka told Goal.

"It really baffles me because if they had relieved Keshi of his appointment when we lost to Sudan in Khartoum, probably it would have made sense.

"Sacking him after yesterday’s victory doesn’t really make much sense it appears to me that the decision had been taken long before yesterday.

"The details of the communiqué would suggest that the decision to remove him had been taken before yesterday [against Sudan], he continued.

He also frowned at the remark by the Nigeria football house telling the former Mali and Togo national team handler to go for more training, claiming it was an iniquitous remark.

"Second, it’s a good thing because learning is continuous process but to suggest Keshi and his assistants should go for further training is degrading. It was not a fair comment.

"Keshi is not a bad coach and further training is a good thing but in this circumstance, it portrays him as a bad coach. He is one of the best coaches in the world.

"According to Fifa, he is one of the best 14 international coaches in the world. He set the kind of record no one other whether white, black, green or blue has done in Africa by qualifying two different countries to two separate World Cups at first attempts, winning Afcon [with Nigeria] at first attempt, I don’t think it was necessary to suggest he should go for further training,” he concluded.

Keshi, 52, led Nigeria to their third African title last year, and became only the second person to win the trophy as a player and coach. He also took the team to the Round of 16 at the World Cup in Brazil as they equalled their best ever run.

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