KESHI RESIGNATION SAGA .. MATTERS ARISING : Keshi Resignation or Not we Will Still Hire a Foreign Technical Director-NFF

Abuja - The Nigeria Football Association (NFA) said on Thursday in Abuja that there was no going back on its plan to hire a foreign technical director for the national teams.

Mr Emaka Inyama, a board member and Chairman of NFA Media and Publicity Committee, said there had not been any rebuttal to the arrangement since Musa Amadu, the General Secretary of the NFA, disclosed the plan in 2012.

Inyama, who was fielding questions from journalists at news conference, said that the idea was to have a template for football development in the country.

 “There has not been any rebuttal since the general secretary said so; so, we are going ahead with the plan.

“What we have always said is that there is a need for us to develop a structure and a template for football development in this country.

“That is the beauty of a technical director. He doesn’t coach the teams but he will be able to say this is the mode of scouting, equipment and so on.

“Every federation in the world has it; even at club level, they do it (employ technical director) and I don’t think there is anything wrong with it,’’ Inyama said.

The NFA board member, who is also the chairman of the Nigerian National League (NNL), said there was no need for the hues and cries by Nigerians on the matter, as it would not interfere with the job of any coach.

On Keshi’s resignation saga, Inyama explained that his job as the Super Eagles’ Head Coach was intact.

“The programme we gave to you was submitted by Keshi, if we have plans to do away with him, we will not ask him to submit his programme for 2014 and the World Cup.

“If Keshi was to go, will you pay him ahead to motivate him without holding back?

“If there are issues, can’t they be resolved. Should they be a national issue after we won the trophy?

According to him, the NFA should be commended for the feat achieved by the Super Eagles’ rather than being criticised.

Inyama, however, advised Nigerians to criticise the board constructively, adding that the Eagles’ excelled in South Africa because of the enabling environment provided by the NFA for it to succeed.

Keshi has expressed concern over the plan by the NFA to hire a foreign technical director for the national team.

There are also fears that the foreigner can usurp the job of the coach. (NAN)