Maigari: Why I can never work against Keshi, Eagles

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, has described as puerile claims in some quarters that he was working against the success of the national team, the Super Eagles ahead of Mundial 2014 in Brazil. He further lambasted a section of the sporting media that have the belief that he wants the failure of national team handler Stephen Keshi, so that he can be fired for a foreign handler. Speaking in Abuja, Maigari, declared that it will be foolhardy for him to destroy what he has built.

“When the former Coach Samson Siasia left the stage for obvious reasons, how many of those who are fronting for Keshi today wanted him as the Nigerian coach. But in my wisdom and after talking to our executive committee members, he was appointed the Head Coach and he will agree with the whole world that we have been supporting him. Some people just want to create sensation of publicity for themselves and use perceived disagreement with Keshi to insult us and win public acclaim. For the records I can never work against a man that we collectively made the highest paid Nigerian alive today”.

The NFF President also had harsh words for internet journalists who have been feasting on the supposed rift in the football family. He said most of them write without facts and have been damaging the reputation of Nigerian football and that of the coaching crew of the national team rather than building it. “If anyone is in doubt they should ask questions but they will never do that, they go on Facebook, twitter and use all other manner of media to damage the reputation of the leadership of Nigerian football without asking questions. Henceforth, such flagrant abuse of the media will no longer be acceptable to us. I don’t want to mention names but those concerned know themselves and for the last time I want to appeal to them to allow us concentrate on preparations for the World Cup rather than causing all manner of distractions”, he said.