NFF lied it informed coaches about rotation — Shorunmu

Ike Shorunmu, the trainer of Super Eagles goalkeepers, has hit back at the Nigerian Football Federation, claiming that they lied to Nigerians about his absence from the team’s camp for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations double-header qualifiers against Guinea-Bissau on Friday, according to The PUNCH.Information Guide Nigeria

Shorunmu told The PUNCH on Monday that the NFF told him and assistant coach Finidi George not to join the squad for the AFCON qualifiers against Guinea-Bissau at the request of head coach Jose Peseiro.

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However, the NFF responded in a statement made available to our correspondent on Monday that the federation had implemented a “rotation policy” among the assistant coaches as part of cost-cutting measures.

After parting ways with Franco-German Gernot Rohr, the NFF named Peseiro as the new Eagles head coach on May 15, 2022, with Finidi as the Portuguese’s first assistant, Salisu Yusuf as the second assistant coach, and Usman Abdallah as the third assistant coach. Shorunmu was named goalkeepers trainer, and Eboboritse Uwejamomere was named match analyst.NYSC Portal

Nevertheless, the NFF stated in the statement that due to their “large number,” they had to reduce the number of technical crew officials for games.

The federation added that there was “no victimisation, sleight of hand or any disrespect intended in their decision.”

The statement read, “As part of cost-cutting measures instituted at the beginning of the new administration, we established a rotation policy among the assistant coaches, based on the high number, which was agreed with all of them. The last time that the team had a programme, Mr. Finidi George was the person who travelled for the friendly match in Portugal. This rotation policy is only for matches. When there is a tournament, all of them will be with the team.

“He knew at that time that the next trip would be that of Mr. Usman Abdallah. Abdallah is simply taking his turn to be in the camp for the program of Super Eagles Vs Djurtus of Guinea Bissau, and Mr. George will be around for the next program.

“The other person who could have been contending, Mr. Salisu Yusuf, has been sent to the U23 team. There was no victimization, sleight of hand or any disrespect meant to our illustrious ex-international players.”

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The NFF added that Shorunmu “showed a clear lack of desire to be in camp for the matches against Guinea-Bissau.”

“The case of goalkeepers’ trainer, Ike Shorounmu is somewhat peculiar, as the former Nigeria goalkeeper showed a clear lack of desire to be in camp for the matches against Guinea Bissau.

“We do not want to go into any details because we have the utmost respect for all our ex-internationals, including Mr. Shorounmu. It was only when we got the clear signal that he was unwilling to come, and the Head Coach was in a quandary, that he (Coach Peseiro) requested for the services of Olatunji Baruwa, who he had seen at work during the U20 AFCON in Egypt, to help do the work of training the goalkeepers.

“We agree there are a number of challenges concerning contracts of coaches of National Teams that we need to speedily resolve. The NFF is working on these and the issues will soon be in the past,” the federation added.

However, former Besiktas goalkeeper Shorunmu refuted the NFF’s claim, claiming that the federation acted unprofessionally.

“Its easy for the NFF to say that I didn’t show desire to report to camp because the people at the helm are earning their salaries, while we the assistant coaches are working without contracts since May 2022 and haven’t been paid for months,” Shorunmu told The PUNCH.

“We asked for contracts last November after the friendly game against Portugal and they told us that the new NFF board was just elected and that by last December our contract papers would be ready, but as I speak, nothing has been done.

“We asked why Salisu Yusuf and Usman Abdallah were left out of the crew for the game against Portugal. They never told us about any rotation policy and it’s very unfair to say that I showed lack of desire to join the camp. As a professional, they should come out and tell the truth and not telling lies and misinforming Nigerians. Whatever we deserve they should give to us and not colour the truth.”JAMB Result