Nigeria football body ‘unaware of order to fire Amodu’

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have disclosed that they are unaware of a presidential directive that they should sack coach Shuaibu Amodu with immediate effect.

“The NFF are not aware of any presidential order to sack Amodu,” top NFF official, Taiwo Ogunjobi told AFP on Tuesday.

“Amodu is still in charge of the team and he took the team’s training in Lubango yesterday (Monday). He will lead the team against Mozambique on Wednesday.”

It has been speculated in a section of the Nigerian media that the Presidential Task Force (PTF) for the 2010 World Cup at the weekend conveyed an order from the country’s Vice-President, Goodluck Jonathan, that Amodu be fired immediately following Nigeria’s tentative start to the Nations Cup.

Ogunjobi regretted that these speculations have amounted to a huge distraction to the team on the eve of their crucial Group C match against Mozambique on Wednesday.

“We only have hours to our match against Mozambique. We cannot afford to lose this match and instead what we have is a big distraction, which is very ill-timed,” he said.

“The players are all worried about what they are haring now. We only have to see how we can assure them that all is well.”

Nigeria are second in Group C behind leaders Egypt with three points from two matches, but must avoid defeat against the Mambas of Mozambique to progress to the quarter-final of Angola 2010.

Speculation has been rife about the future of coach Amodu since Nigeria fell to Egypt in an opening Group C match here in Angola.

Amodu first qualified Nigeria for the 2002 World Cup, but was fired after the Eagles failed to reach the final of the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations in Mali, allowing Adeboye Onigbinde to take the team to the World Cup.

Amodu also qualified the Eagles to the 2010 World Cup and has been given a 2010 Nations Cup semi-final target.

Officials admitted that they have discussed with Mozambique coach, Mart Nooij, about the top Nigeria coaching post, while another coach linked with the job, Claude Le Roy formerly of Ghana, watched the Eagles two matches against Egypt and Benin.