April 23, (THEWILL) – The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has urged Nigerians to drop their calls for coach Salisu Yusuf to be replaced due to his involvement in a bribe controversy in 2018. These calls came after he was newly-appointed as coach of the Super Eagles B team, also known as the CHAN Eagles, and the U-23 Olympic team.
THEWILL recalls that Yusuf, who took the Super Eagles B team to the runner-up position at Morocco 2018 Africa Cup of Nations, was banned for a year and sentenced to pay a $5,000 fine by the NFF after the Ethics and Fair Play Committee concluded that the coach received $1,000 from some pressmen posing as agents to influence team selection.
Many Nigerians have slammed the Amaju Pinnick-led NFF since Yusuf’s re-appointment last week, claiming that Yusuf had no integrity to be near any national coaching post. Some football commentators have also accused the NFF of producing crooked coaches.
Responding to questions about the matter at the Remo Stadium in Ikenne, the venue of the 2022 Under-15 football tournament sponsored by a partnership between MTN, the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL), and La Liga, NFF First Vice President Seyi Akinwunmi said those who do not want Yusuf to return to his national coaching job should reconsider.
“Yusuf has served his punishment and there is nothing wrong in re-appointing him,” Akinwunmi said in defence of the NFF decision. “There was an issue, not of bribery, but indiscretion. Yusuf served his term and it has expired.”
When asked if Yusuf’s reappointment by the NFF encourages other coaches to accept bribes, Akinwunmi responded: “The fact that he was banned for a while over an offence is enough to serve as a deterrent to other coaches.”
In response to the wisdom of Ladan Bosso’s reappointment as coach of the Flying Eagles after previous failures with the same team, Akinwunmi deflected with the response: “Bosso was recommended to us by the Technical Committee. They are in a better position to answer such questions.”
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
