Stephen Keshi: I Never Resigned, I Was Misquoted

THE future of Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi remained a mystery Tuesday after the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) denied reports he resigned following their World Cup exit.

Nigeria went out of the tournament in Brazil at the round of 16 stage after a 2-0 defeat to France, after which Keshi said: “It’s time for me to go back to my family and face fresh challenges.”

That was widely interpreted as a sign he had quit and it appeared to be confirmed when the Super Eagles’ official twitter account retweeted a story stating Keshi had indeed stood down.

However, when contacted by Goal on Tuesday, a NFF spokesman said: “Coach Keshi has not submitted an official resignation letter.

“He was not employed in the mixed zone or on Facebook.”

The former Nigeria captain has already achieved much success, becoming the second man to win the African Cup of Nations as a player and as a coach in 2013.

After the team’s AFCON triumph, Keshi tendered his resignation saying he had been disrespected by the NFF. He opted to carry on following the intervention of the country’s sports minister.

Afterwards, he was owed seven months’ salary, another issue that was resolved by the government. He saw the Super Eagles through qualifying to the World Cup and became the first Nigerian to take them to the round of 16, their first appearance at that stage since 1998.

During the team’s stay in Brazil, he claimed his services were wanted by at least six countries, among them South Africa, who recently decided not to extend the contract of Coach Gordon Igesund.

However, reports in the past two days quoted the former Nigeria captain saying he was no longer coach of the Super Eagles, but Keshi says that is not the case. 

The “Big Boss” claims he was misquoted. 

'What I said to my players was that this may be my last match at the helm of affairs in the national team, because my contract terminates with the World Cup and I have not been offered a new one. 

“I was a bit shocked that the global media went to town to say I have called it quits with the national team. Resignations are not done on the pages of newspapers but formally,” he said. 

Keshi, who took over the reins of the Nigeria national team in 2011, led the side to glory at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. 

He then resigned barely 24 hours after his finest hour as a coach before rescinding that decision shortly afterwards.