By John Egbokhan

Ex-internationals, Femi Olukanmi and Emeka James have carpeted the Nigeria Football Federation for downsizing the coaching crew and backroom staff of the Super Eagles.

According to the duo, who voiced their opinion from their base in the United States of America, it was wrong for the football ruling body in Nigeria to come out with such drastic measure at a time that the Eagles were in the middle of a critical 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign, which sees them playing Kenya and Malawi in June.

Olukanmi urged the NFF to provide an enabling environment for Coach Stephen Keshi to perform his duties, adding that the absence of such was going to derail Nigeria’s bid to qualify for the Brazil World Cup

“Keshi and his coaching staff ought to be given free hand to work without scrutiny from the NFF.. I see no rationale why they would terminate the employment of Keshi’s assistants (Sylvanus & Valere), a winning staff. To make matters worse, Keshi, was not even consulted before.

“These coaches have delivered on one of their mandates, by winning the AFCON trophy and I wonder what would have happened to them if they did not win it. They are on a second mission of their charged task of qualifying Nigeria for the 2014 world cup.

At this point, reducing the staff is not prudent as this may take their focus away from the assignment at hand and derail the team from the World Cup qualification. “ Hence, I am advocating that these coaches be allowed to prosecute their duties without interference from the football administrators. Most of all, our football managers must absolutely reverence the judgments of indigenous coaches without subjecting them to harassment,

In his own reaction, James said that “the members of the NFF are not looking for the way forward for the Super Eagles as regards to the team qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil ; and football How can they explain the reduction in the coaching crew and backroom staff without even consulting with the chief coach, Keshi, who chose them in the first place? Something is not right here. I believe this whole thing is to force the chief coach out.

“They don’t care if we do not qualify for the 2014 World Cup, and they will stop at nothing short of forcing the chief coach out. These people are powerful and are positioned in the NFF by very powerful Nigerians. My advice to Keshi is to be very careful and take these people very seriously.”, added James