Shaibu Amodu
Atlanta '96 Olympic Games gold medallist Teslim Fatusi has spoken out about the Nigeria Football Federation's appointment of Shaibu Amodu as the Super Eagles' caretaker manager, saying his former coach should have rejected the job.
The NFF last week Wednesday fired Stephen Keshi shortly after the former Nigeria captain led the Eagles to a 3-1 victory against Sudan in their 2015 Africa Cup of Nations Group A qualifier in Abuja and replaced him with Amodu.
Keshi's contract with the football body expired after the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations-winning coach guided Nigeria to a second round exit at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, but the NFF engaged the ex-Anderlecht defender to manage the Eagles on a caretaker basis, pending the conclusion of their contract extension talks.
But the new NFF board headed by Amaju Pinnick decided to end talks and sacked Keshi, despite the outcome of the Sudan clash.
The NFF explained that Amodu, who has previously managed the Eagles on four different occasions, would be in the dugout against Congo and South Africa next month after which a foreign coach would be employed.
However, former Nigeria winger Fatusi insists Amodu, who coached him in the Eagles in 1999, shouldn't have accepted the job, saying the NFF should have hired the services of the foreign coach they want to oversee the two qualifiers.
"Amodu is an experienced coach and can help us qualify for the tournament. But he shouldn't have accepted the job," the former Stationery Stores star told our correspondent on the telephone during the week.
"The NFF made it clear that they would employ a foreign coach. If I were Amodu I would reject the offer. Our coaches deserve respect.
"They (NFF) have been unfair to him twice. I think they want to use him and dump him again – after helping us qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations – like they did after he helped us qualify for the World Cup twice."
The 37-year-old added, "The NFF should have appointed a foreign coach to take over from Keshi. It's wrong to have Amodu in charge of the remaining two qualifiers and appoint a foreign coach later.
"Having the foreign coach in charge would give us an opportunity to assess him. We can't afford to hire the services of a mediocre foreign coach this time around. We must go for the best if we believe a foreign coach will help us."
South Africa lead the group on eight points and Congo second on seven points after both teams battled to a goalless draw in the other group fixture in Polokwane, South Africa, the same day Nigeria beat Sudan. Nigeria are third in the standings with four points.
The Eagles have been condemned to win their remaining games – and the Congolese need to drop points against Sudan in the last qualifier – to make it to Morocco to defend their title.
Fatusi said the NFF should have allowed Keshi finish the job before firing him.
The retired player added, "I think Keshi should have resigned after the World Cup to maintain his record. But the NFF was unfair to him. But nobody can take his achievements away from him.
"The players should be held responsible for the defeat against Congo (in Calabar). They didn't play like professionals in the game. They made the same mistakes against Sudan. Keshi can't be blamed for the schoolboy errors the players committed."
Amodu was sacked after helping Nigeria qualify for the 2002 Korea/Japan World Cup.
He was also fired after helping Nigeria win a ticket to the South Africa 2010 World Cup.
