Keshi back with Eagles as Nigeria escape ban

CAPE TOWN: Stephen Keshi, back as coach of Nigeria and yesterday named a squad of 25 for the must-win 2015 Africa Cup of Nations Cup qualifiers against Congo and South Africa this month.

The news was confir med by Super Eagles media officer Toyin Ibitoye.

Keshi had admitted agonising over whether to retur n to the post from which he was sacked earlier this month by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), who placed in charge a consortium of coaches led by technical director Shaibu Amodu.

However, following the reported intervention of the country’s president Goodluck Jonathan this week, and a request from Amodu himself, the 52-year-old Keshi has agreed to retur n.

Keshi immediately offered a recall to striker Ikechukwu Uche of Spanish club Villarreal, who has not played for the national team since helping the Super Eagles win the final of the Cup of Nations in South Africa in January last year.

Uche is among 25 players who will report for duty in Abuja on November 9 for the away fixture in Pointe Noire against Congo six days later, and the home clash with Bafana Bafana in Uyo on November 19.

The 3-1 victory over Sudan in his last game in charge on October 15 left the Nigerians side four points behind leaders South Africa and three behind second-placed

is Congo in their qualification group.

The top two sides, as well as the best third-place finisher, advance to the finals in Morocco.

Keshi, a for mer captain of the national team, led the side to the 2013 Cup of Nations title in South Africa and also helped the Super Eagles qualify for the World Cup in Brazil this year, when they reached the second round before losing to France.

Meanwhile, the NFF say they have avoided a long-ter m ban by Fifa after infighting over the leadership of the football body was ended through intervention by the country’s president.

The NFF said president Jonathan had ensured “a truce” and a faction challenging new NFF president Amaju Pinnick’s election last month had “discontinued” legal action against him.

The world body gave Nigeria until midday local time (1pm SA time) yesterday to withdraw a court order nullifying the September 30 football elections.

Fifa endorsed Pinnick’s election and viewed the order as interference in football matters against their rules.

If Nigeria did not meet the deadline, Fifa said the country would have been banned until at least next May, thereby disqualifying the defending champions from next year’s Africa Cup of Nations. – Reuters/Sapa-AP