The Big Boss is back – Keshi reaches agreement over Super Eagles

Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi has reached a temporary agreement with Sports Minister, Tammy Danagogo, to manage the national team for the upcoming qualifiers in September, pending the time a permanent deal will be agreed on.

Both parties met on Monday, 25 August, and came to a mutual resolution that the Keshi would take charge of the Super Eagles in its upcoming two matches.

The agreement became necessary for the team to have a gaffer over the course of the the matches in September, and it is expected to be valid for only that period of time.


Keshi’s two-and-a-half-year contract expired after the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, but the crisis at the Nigeria Football Federation has seen contracts talks stall over the past two months.

Emmanuel Ado, an aide of Keshi, confirmed that an agreement had been reached between the minister and the coach.

“The agreement is all about Nigeria. Keshi as a patriotic Nigerian believes he has no choice other than to
look at Nigeria first, before himself. The Minister is the commander-in-chief for sports in Nigeria, and when he summons his officers, of which Keshi is one, he (Keshi) can’t say no,” Ado said.

“It is a matter of averting what can end in a disaster for the country. Nothing yet was agreed as per the salary or other terms. Talks regarding that will resume after the two matches.”

The Super Eagles are grouped alongside South Africa, Congo and Sudan in Group A of the qualifiers and will take on Congo on 6 September in Calabar and subsequently visit South Africa on 10 September.