One-time technical committee member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Godwin Dudu-Orumen, has said that he has been vindicated on his views on sacked Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi.
For him, Keshi is the architect of his own grave fall.
The former Super Eagles captain was given the boot on the morning of Thursday, October 16, after his lads beat Sudan 3-1 in Abuja the previous night. Nigeria had lost 0-1 in the first leg played in Khartoum.
The ace broadcaster and lawyer-turned-sports analyst has never hidden his views on Keshi’s strategies, preparation of the team and his selections towards crucial matches since he was appointed coach of the team.
In a chat with TheNiche on Thursday, when Keshi was sacked by the leadership of the NFF, Dudu-Orumen said though it was a good decision, he would have loved him to swim and sink with the team.
He said: “Though I never accepted his appointment as coach of the team then, I never knew he was that bad. I said it before that he was not sound and that being a good player in his playing days does mean he will be a good coach.
“Now I have been vindicated, not because I was right with my views but because he was the architect of his own fall. He was really a mad person who failed to manage successes that came his way.
“He had all the chances to succeed with the team, but he was too heady, too proud, lacks good managerial skills and has ego problem.
“I would have liked him to swim and sink with the team, rather than sacking him, because I do not believe that he was sabotaged by the players.
“Only three or four players in the team were not his own, but his greatest undoing was poor team selections.”
Dudu-Orumen had continually questioned the invitation of some players such as Joseph Yobo, Brown Ideye, Azubuike Egwuekwe and even Sunday Mba to the team.
The respected football analyst said some of Keshi’s players have no business being in the team, but that their invitation was a ploy by Keshi to market them at the detriment of the country.
He said: “Honestly, I don’t have anything against any of the players, but we must tell ourselves the truth that they were in the team for reasons best known to Keshi.
“I know we have a lot of good players in the domestic league who are better than some of the players in the team.
“Instead of dealing with the facts and reality of our situation, some preferred to see it from a personal angle or as a dislike for some players in my thoughts.
“I hope now that all can see that it was nothing personal, just football punditry as I see it. I pray Super Eagles eventually get into the right gear.”
Keshi alongside his assistants, Daniel Amokachi and Ike Shorunmu, have been replaced by a consortium of local coaches led by former Super Eagles Coach, Amodu Shuaibu, who will handle the team’s remaining Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches until a substantive trainer is employed.
Keshi’s job had come under intense scrutiny since the start of the qualifiers in September when the team lost 3-2 to Congo in Calabar, Cross River State, before picking one point in a draw against South Africa in Cape Town.
A further defeat in Khartoum to Sudan made his tenure look like coming to an inglorious end, after a fairy tale year when he led the Super Eagles to victory at the 2013 AFCON in South Africa.
The title defence in South Africa next year was looking bleak until last Wednesday’s 3-1 victory over Sudan in Abuja restored a glimmer of hope.
However, the new NFF board was not convinced about his abilities and has now relieved him of the job, urging him and his assistants to proceed on any training programme of their choice that would be funded by the federation as a form of gratitude to the “national heroes”.
Their exit means that Shaibu, who has been a part of the NFF in a technical capacity, will now return to the position for the next two matches against Congo and South Africa.
Shaibu will be supported by Salisu Yusuf, Gbenga Ogunbote and former goalkeeper, Aloysius Agu, until a foreign coach is recruited to handle the side.
The team also has a new coordinator in former international, Garba Lawal. Toyin Ibitoye is the new media officer, and Godfirst Chike is the new equipment manager. Team secretary, Enebi Achor, is retained.
Keshi, 52, led Nigeria to its third African title last year, and became only the second person to win the trophy as a player and coach. He also took the team to the Round of 16 at the World Cup in Brazil, equaling the country’s best ever run.
He will be remembered for bringing into limelight several unknown players from the local league who have become heroes of the Nigerian game. However, he was also accused of favouritism by taking largely untested players to the World Cup and ignoring more experienced campaigners.
