Despite facing criticism and calls for his dismissal following the recent loss of Nigeria’s U-23 team to Guinea, which ended the country’s hopes for a Paris 2024 Olympics ticket, Salisu Yusuf, the coach of the home-based national team, remains resolute in his desire to return to the Super Eagles.
Yusuf previously served as one of Jose Peseiro’s assistants before being appointed to the U-23 team and the home-based national team, CHAN Eagles.
Unfortunately, Yusuf has been unsuccessful in both roles.
Ghana defeated Nigeria in the qualifiers for the 2023 African Nations Championship (CHAN), and his U-23 team was beaten by Guinea 2-0 in Morocco, resulting in Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the CHAN in Morocco.
Many football fans have urged for Yusuf’s removal from the national team setup, citing his lack of capability to lead the team to success.
However, despite his previous one-year ban from FIFA due to bribery allegations, Yusuf has stated that he intends to honour his contract with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as an assistant coach of the Super Eagles.
Yusuf was quoted as saying, “I am a coach and I will always be a coach as far as I am fit to work. I have a definition with the side (U-23), but I still have a contract with the Super Eagles as an assistant coach.”
Following the Morocco 2023 U-23 Nations Cup debacle, some Nigerians criticised the NFF for reabsorbing Yusuf after the bribery scandal, with some fans calling for a new method of appointing coaches for the various teams.
Last week, NFF Secretary-General, Mohammed Sanusi, acknowledged the criticisms and stated that the federation would soon introduce a new strategy for recruiting coaches.
Source: postngr
