BREAKING: NFF appoints coach banned for bribery

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The Nigeria Football Federation’s Executive Committee has approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee for the appointment of Salisu Yusuf as Head Coach of the Super Eagles B (also known as the CHAN team) and the U23 (Olympics) team.

Yusuf was previously barred from collecting bribes as a Super Eagles assistant coach after being caught on camera in August 2018 accepting cash from men posing as football agents to select two players for his Morocco 2018 African Nations Championship squad.

He was subsequently banned for one year and ordered to pay a fine of $5,000 by the federation following the NFF Ethics and Fair Play Committee ruling that the coach received $1,000 from the men.

The NFF reinstated the coach in 2019 after serving his punishment and later approved his return as Assistant Coach of the Super Eagles and Head Coach of the Super Eagles B team, with effect from November 1, 2021.

Salisu’s appointment was contained in a statement on Thursday by the NFF’s spokesperson, Ademola Olajire, titled, ‘NFF appoints Salisu, Bosso, Ugbade, Bassey to head male National Teams’.

The NFF also stated that “a new Head Coach for the Super Eagles will be announced and officially unveiled once the processes for his engagement and contract-signing are concluded”.

Yusuf, who was Head Coach of the Super Eagles B when the team emerged runner-up of the African Nations Championship in Morocco in 2018, will work with Kennedy Boboye (Assistant Coach); Fatai Osho (Assistant Coach); Abubakar Bala Mohammed (Assistant Coach); Fidelis Ikechukwu (Assistant Coach); Eboboritse Uwejamomere (Match Analyst) and Ike Shorounmu (Goalkeepers’ Trainer) and Suleiman Shuaibu (Goalkeepers’ Trainer 2).

In other appointments, Ladan Bosso retains his position as Head Coach of the U20 Boys. He will work with former U17 Head Coach, Fatai Amao (Assistant Coach); Oladuni Oyekale (Assistant Coach); Jolomi Atune Alli (Assistant Coach) and; Baruwa Olatunji Abideen (Goalkeepers’ Trainer)

For the U17 Boys, Golden Eaglets, Nduka Ugbade was named Head Coach. He will work with Ahmad Lawal Dankoli (Assistant Coach); Omoniyi Haruna Ilerika (Assistant Coach); Yemi Daniel (Assistant Coach) and; Mohammed Nasiru Isah (Goalkeepers’ Trainer). Ugbade captained Nigeria’s first cadet team that won the FIFA U16 World Cup in China in 1985.

For the U13/15 Boys known as Future Eagles, Patrick Bassey will be Head Coach and will work with Abdullahi Tyabo Umar (Assistant Coach); Mohammed Kalli Kachalla (Assistant Coach); Ifeanyi Uba (Assistant Coach); Alh. Mohammed Kwairanga (Assistant Coach) and; Abubakar Abdullahi (Goalkeepers’ Trainer).