By George Aluo
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has declared that there is no assignment yet for Salisu Yusuf, the former Super Eagles chief coach who is staging a return after the one year ban clamped on him over bribery.
The Glass House had in a surprise release last week hinted that Yusuf would be staging a return and take over from Imama Amakapabo who held forth as coach of the Olympic Eagles ahead of the U23 Nations Cup billed for Egypt in November.
The NFF release stated in part: “The Nigeria Football Federation has noted that the Chief Coach of the Super Eagles, Salisu Yusuf has now fully served the one –year suspension clamped on him last year.
The Federation thanked Coach Imama Amapakabo for his sterling efforts while in charge of the U23 National Team in the absence of the suspended Yusuf, and for eventually seeing to the team’s qualification for the U23 AFCON.”
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Apparently reacting to the criticisms that trailed the announcement, NFF’s head of media Demola Olajire said Imama remains in charge of the Dream Team and that the NFF is yet to give Salisu any assignment.
“There is no immediate assignment now for Yusuf…all we said is that he has served out his suspension. As we speak, Imama is still in charge of the Olympic Eagles,” were Demola’s word in an interview he granted The Nigerian Xpress Sports.
First Vice President of NFF Barrister Seyi Akinwumi who apparently didn’t want to speak on the issues directed all enquiries about Yusuf to the soccer federation’s scribe Dr. Sanusi Mohammed.
Meanwhile, while the NFF made conflicting statements on the Salisu return, former Eagles assistant coach, Joe Erico said Yusuf on moral grounds should not return to the national team.
In Erico’s words: “The NFF have the final say on the issue because they are the ones that hired Salisu. But if I (Erico) was the one involved in all of this, I won’t return to the team. There is already a stigma. Salisu should move on and look elsewhere for a job. As I said, on moral grounds, he should not return.”
