The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has hit back at the Super Eagles head coach, Stephen Keshi over his recent outburst concerning his alleged role in the players and NFF bonus row, insisting that they owe the former Hawks of Togo coach no apology over their stance that he masterminded the problem.
Speaking on behave of the federation, NFF’s assistant director, media, Ademola Olajire said he stands by his earlier press release to the press accusing Keshi for being the brain behind the players’ refusal to leave Namibia for Brazil for the just concluded Confederations Cup after rejecting a pay cut on their bonuses, adding that players’ representatives and the team officials led by Coach Keshi were fully briefed of the federation’s intention to slice the teams bonus.
Keshi not happy with Olajire’s position, fought back calling him, a ‘liar’ for alleging that he was the one that instigated the players against NFF to reject the pay cut. While claiming that when the whole thing was unfolding at Namibia, they (Olajire and himself) were both at the picture of the player’s action as he wondered when he instructed the players not to receive the pay cut or not to travel to Brazil for the Confederations Cup.
The big boss also said that he was shocked that Olajire could send such a press release to the press after they were together in Kenya and Namibia with the players; laughing and watching the boys playing together, pointing out that Olajire is not fit to be the NFF’s image maker.
However, Olajire insisted that what he sent to the media was the fact, adding that he was surprised that Keshi is denying the role he played in the bonus row. According to him, “As NFF assistant director of media, my obligation is to the federation and not Keshi, though I respect him as the former captain of the Super Eagles and now the chief coach of the same team he captained. What I reported was what took place over there and I think I owe no one any apology over that not even Keshi.”
