By Jacob Ajom
Chairman of Racines Football club of Lagos, Emmanuel Ibru has expressed surprise at the re-hiring of Coach Stephen Keshi by the Nigeria Football Federation.

Keshi

IBRU who is abroad on a private mission told Sports Vanguard on phone that he was shocked when he read of Keshi’s new contract. “The whole thing tells of a house not in total control of its affairs. It shows that the NFF was under pressure to employ Keshi,” he said.

Ibru asked the rationale behind the new deal to a man who was asked to go by this same board after a poor run in the 2015 Afcon qualifiers.

“I remember he was not on contract then. Congo had beaten us in Calabar. We went to Sudan and lost. On return leg, even after beating Sudan in Abuja, Keshi was asked to leave the team alone. That was when the whole power play began.

“It is really surprising that after all the hullabaloo, the foot-dragging, and all the noise, the NFF still settled for Keshi. Why did they have to waste so much time to engage him?”

He said he was equally shocked at the beggarly manner Keshi employed before getting the new deal. “I understood he was made to apologise to the NFF President and members of the board before he was given the job. That shows a man who was desperate as he took the humble pie.”

On Keshi’s chances of succeeding with the team, Ibru said, “I am not sure. He was there for three years and where is the team today? We could not qualify for the last Africa Cup of Nations. However, I wish him good luck “