NFF plans to negotiate lesser salary with Stephen Keshi

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has disclosed that it won’t be able to pay coach Stephen Keshi the 10million Naira monthly salary he has asked for in order to continue in his role as handler of the national team.  The football house has agreed to renegotiate a contract with the Big Boss whose previous agreement ended after the World Cup, Spokesman of the NFF Technical Committee, Paul Bassey disclosed this shortly after a meeting held at the Glass House Secretariat of the NFF on Wednesday. The Committee has advised the NFF board to negotiate with the coach on what they can afford, that will be acceptable to the coach. Media reports indicate that the NFF is willing to pay Seven million Naira, a significant rise from the Five million Naira the trainer earned in his first three years in charge.

NFF Ready To Pay Keshi N7m Monthly Salary

According to a report published by AfricanFootball.com, a top official of the NFF informed that the new contract is most likely to be made public next week pending Keshi’s acceptance of the offer. It would be recalled that the former Super Eagles captain earned five million naira monthly before his initial contract expired after the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Some earlier reports had stated that the former Mali and Togo coach was now demanding twice that amount. But with the new salary offer, Keshi, who was not considered for the South African post, and the NFF are expected to finalise a new deal next week. 

Rufai: Enyeama has 'shown consistency'

The Lille goalkeeper was the only Nigeria player that was included in the list of 50 best players in the world during the 2013/14 season and he finished in 27^th place. (See Enyeama's Goal 50 entry).  Former Nigeria goalkeeper Peter Rufai has praised the inclusion of Vincent Enyeama in the Goal 50 announced on Monday. The Nigeria legend has hailed the man who took up from where he left off for his deserved inclusion among the 50 best players in the worldRufai said it is an accolade that his protégé has rightly earned, seeing that he had a great year where he kept clean sheets over 1062 consecutive minutes in the French top division and his form saw the Super Eagles qualify for the World Cup and reach the second round with two shut outs.

Cristiano Ronaldo displaying his Goal 50 winnerthe in history

Ronaldo No One

While infamously declaring his preference for Lionel Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo last year, Sepp Blatter displayed a surprising level of insight when he mused that the Barcelona No.10 is “a good boy ... and that's what makes him so popular.” The Fifa president unwittingly underlined that while the Portuguese may be an advertisers' dream, he has long since lost the Public Relations battle in the war for the title of the greatest player of the 21st century. In the eyes of his critics, Ronaldo's greatest crime appears to be that he is not Lionel Messi. The suggestion that the Madeira native is lacking something seems particularly ludicrous after a season in which he scored 51 goals, 11 of which came either via his head or his ‘weaker’ left foot, and ended with him placing a Champions League winners’ medal in his trophy cabinet alongside the Ballon d’Or for 2013.

Everton agree two Lukaku deals

Lukaku is keen to return to Goodison Park on a permanent basis after a successful loan spell and the Toffees have prepared a deal worth around €25 million to sign the Belgium international. Everton have agreed two different deals with Chelsea for the potential signing of Romelu Lukaku. bBut Chelsea and Blues boss Jose Mourinho are yet to decide whether or not to let Lukaku leave Stamford Bridge permanently this summer. The striker could instead find himself on loan to Everton for a second season - his third consecutive campaign with another club since moving to Stamford Bridge after spending 2012-13 with West Brom.

Maradona: Messi didn't deserve Golden Ball

Argentina icon Diego Maradona feels Lionel Messi did not deserve to win the Golden Ball following his performances at the World Cup. The 1986 World Cup winner felt FIFA made the wrong decision to hand the award to the Barcelona star and rued Argentina's defeat to Germany. The Barcelona star beat the likes of Thomas Muller, Arjen Robben and James Rodriguez to the prestigious individual award after scoring four goals in seven performances at this summer's tournament and guiding his team to the final, yet Maradona feels the 27-year-old only won it for commercial reasons.

Stoke City on trail of Michael Babatunde

Nigeria World Cup revelation Michael Babatunde has come under the radar of Stoke City, according to the player’s manager. The Super Eagles midfielder has not been short of suitors since having a good run at the World Cup with the reigning African champions. The 21-year-old impressed against Bosnia-Herzegovina and set up Ahmed Musa’s first goal against Argentina before an injury to his hand curtailed his further taking part as the Super Eagles reached the second round.

NFF court case set to be withdrawn

Reports have it that the civil suit at the Plateau State High Court in Jos which has created a lot of problems for Nigerian football could be withdrawn on Monday. The problems that have caused the Nigeria Football Federation to be suspended by Fifa could be resolved on Monday

Stephen Keshi – The Pathfinder. Legend.

The former Nigeria coach will be remembered in many different ways after his illustrious three years in charge of the African champions comes to an end. Each player were catching flights to different parts of the world following their second round exit to France, Stephen Keshi chose to reflect. Reclined on a lounge chair close to the still lake that borders the Brasilia Palace Hotel, he had one last thing on his mind - how to return home with the remaining crop of players in his care. Afterwards, he would take a deserved break with his family in the United States and then seek newer pastures with his long-serving assistant, Togolese Valere Houandinou.