The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has revealed that it is set to finalise the details of a new deal that will see Stephen Keshi continue as the coach of the Super Eagles.
Following an executive committee meeting on Wednesday the national body announced in Abujathat a three-man body set up to negotiate the terms of an improved new deal with Keshi had concluded its work.
The new NFF leadership headed by acting president Mike Umeh has consequently been mandated to finalise details of the reengagement of the coach in the shortest possible time.
There had been doubts that Keshi would be retained after leading the African champions to the Round of 16 at the World Cup. His contract had expired after the global tournament and the NFF – under the leadership of the recently impeached Aminu Maigari – did not offer him a renewal.
The development irked Keshi and led him to resign from the post with reports indicating that he was heading over to South Africa to take over the national team.
However the Bafana job went to South African Eprahim Mashaba, leaving the Super Eagles post as Keshi’s most attractive option.
The former Nigeria skipper has been coach of Nigeria since November 2011. He won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013, becoming only the second man to win the competition as player and coach.
He also became the first African coach to lead a team to the knockout stages of the World Cup – a feat he achieved with Nigeria in Brazil this summer.
The 52-year-old is expected to receive $44,000 in monthly wages going forward, up from the $30,000 he earned in his former contract.
Meanwhile as part of the terms of reconciliation that paved the way for the resolution of the recent NFF crisis that led to the suspension of Nigeria by FIFA, the body’s exco constituted a five-man committee to review the bans on some officials.
The committee, which has three days to do its work, is headed by Effiong Johnson also has Shehu Adamu, Ayodeji Tinubu, Dilichukwu Onyedinma and Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande as members, with Christian Emeruwa will serve as secretary.
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Source: AfPl