Keshi will no longer select players alone- NFF President

Echoes of Nigeria’s elimination from the FIFA Confederations still reverberates,with President of the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) Aminu Maigari,declaring that Super Eagles coach,Stephen Keshi will no longer have the sole responsibility of choosing players for the national team.

The NFF President while speaking in a magazine show, Soccer Africa on Supersports,questioned the players Keshi took to the tournament in Brazil,adding that he went with inexperienced players.

Following Nigeria’s elimination from the Confederations,criticisms have been trailing the technical crew of the Super Eagles,after the team failed to take their goalscoring of their chances at the tournament.

“Spain brought their best players, but we did not. Why would you bring a local player to play Spain at such a big stage?” Maigari asked.

“This is unacceptable. We have experienced players that were not selected and this is where we have to step in.”

“The coach doesn’t have the sole responsibility on squad selection. We all have to contribute. This team belongs to 165 million people”

“Selections should affect all these people so we cannot continue to let this happen because we need to compete well with others.”

Nigeria crashed out of the Confederations last Sunday,after winning just one game against Tahiti,and losing the other games against Uruguay and Spain,despite putting up good performances.

Keshi in his own defence,said that he selected the right players available to represent the country at the tournament.

“I understand Nigerians are emotive and sentimental sometimes but all the players that went to Brazil deserved to be there,” Keshi told BBC Sport.

“I’m the coach and I can honestly listen to constructive ideas on how we can improve as a team.

“But no-one has come to tell me who to pick and not to select. If the team fails the coach is responsible.

“As the coach, it’s my decision and responsibility. For now, the local players have earned the rights to be in the team.”

Does the NFF have the right to meddle in the choice of players,Keshi takes to a tournament?

source:allsport