Keshi's Sack Long Overdue, Says Chukwuma

Chief Gabriel Chukwuma (Gabros) needs no introduction when it comes to football matters in Nigeria. Before the coming of Ifeanyi Uba, he was the sole financier/ proprietor of Gabros international FC of Nnewi now Ifaenyi Uba united. He has also served as the first vice chairman  of the Nigeria football Association (NFA) now Nigeria football federation (NFF). He spoke in an  interview beginning with NFF, Keshi and the Eagles. T him, the sack of super eagles coach Stephen Keshi was long overdue and that most Nigerian coaches are the bane of the country’s football among other issues.

So far, what is your assessment of  NFF President Amaju Pinnick?

He is a good man. But so far he has performed below my expectation. The things our national team coaches used to do in the past are still happening even today. I thought the NFF president should have been able to stop them from collecting money from players. That is, he should have been able to introduce the culture of merit to our football like it used to be in the days of late Emeka Omerua. Most of our coaches are cash and carry. And they are player’s agents. This cannot help our football grow.

What is your view on Keshi's sack?

Frankly speaking, the Sack of Coach Stephen Keshi was long overdue. Keshi would have been sacked long ago, but my friend pinnick was just afraid. You know the Coach was well connected and he was influential. He was always applying for jobs in other countries even before the time he was sacked.

However, am glad that my friend Pinnick Finally got the courage to sack him.

There is nothing Keshi would have done again. For now we do not have a national team. And there is nothing anybody can do .What we have in the name of coaches are player’s agents. Before the coming of Ifeanyi Ubah, I was one of the highest stakeholders in Nigeria Football. And I have the requisite Football experiences. I do not need to watch a team twice to commend or dismiss the team. Keshi was about four years old with the super Eagles. But how super were they? Where were the Eagles? Who can close his eyes and name 10 quality players of the super Eagles under Keshi.

So, what is your advice now that Keshi is out?

Amodu and Yusuf as caretaker coaches should just start building a National team for us. They should lay a solid foundation for a true super Eagles team.

Keshi  tried, he did his best. But his return to the team was uncalled for.  He came back because he had a godfather and he was influential. This is the time for the NFF to go for a reputable foreign coach. I do not mean the type of foreign coach the NFF bigwigs will be sharing his salary in London. The coach must not be player’s agent. And all football agents must be kept at bay. Look at the game against Chad,Keshi dressed a player that in all sincerity had no business with the super Eagles. It was simply the handiwork of player’s agents.

What of the U-20 team that crashed out at the last World Cup

It is the same problem. The last time the team crashed, I thought we should have learnt some lessons. For it to happen again there is no need asking question, we have not changed. And this is the change I expected my friend, pinnick to have effected by now. The coach of the U-20 team that was star- studded needs to be sanctioned. In fact, coaches that fail dismally that way are supposed to be banned for at least ten years. Our problem is that shortly after some of these coaches fail, you see them return to some of the teams. They keep coming and going in a circle that is why they don’t learn any lesson. Anybody that watched the U-20 team will agree with me completely.

The Super Falcons also crashed out tooin the early stage of Women Women?

That is the same problem. They equally paraded galaxy of stars some of the best in the world but there was no coach.His sack was also a relief.

In all what is your relationship with NFF like?

That is the problem. I can say it is cordial, I can say is it not cordial. You know if it is as cordial as it is supposed to be, I should have been talking to them directly rather than on the pages of the NEWSPAPER, my thinking is that once in a while, the NFF should invite me so that we share ideals together. Perhaps they fear that I am too independent, straight-forward and I call spade-spade all the time.

From Gabros International FC to Ifeanyi Uba United. what actally happened?

The moment we returned to the premier league, I put together the amount that will be involved in the running of the team, the only person I was convinced that could do it was ifeanyi Uba. He loves football and he has the means. I am not talking about experience. With time he will acquire the experience. The most important thing is that he is capable. If there are ten Nigerians supporting Nigerian youths like Ifeanyi Uba, it would have been a lot better for the country.

He is currently building two stadia. On completion, they will be the best in the country. I implore the Anambra State government to give him support. I will be giving my own support in my own way. This is important because he is building the facilities for Nigerian youths and Anambra youths in particular.

So far he has been very wonderful. The team demanded for four vehicles, he provided eight. As it stands now, we are not in competition with any club in the premier league. I have watched all the clubs, I did not see any team that has the king of players we have. We have super players with age on their side.  Even government approached me, but for me government will crash the team in no time, but for Ifeanyi Uba I have confidence that the team will go places.The team merely suffered a setback some time but they are recovering.

What is your position in the team now?

I have retired. I now supervise and offer advice. I have run the club for close to twenty years and handed over to a younger person. People thought I was in football because of money, but today they have apologized to me haven seen actually what is involved, or what it takes to run a Football club.

What is your rating of the League Management Company (LMC)

I will give them kudos in the area of officiating. Officiating has improved very well.

Where I disagree with them is on the amount of money that they give to clubs, for me, each club deserves at least Fifty Million Naira (N 50,000,000) in sponsorship. And for the first team, one Hundred Million Naira Only (N100, 000.000) is Ok. For the four teams that go on relegation at least (N20, 000.000) each to enable them reorganize and return to where they belong.

Nigeria has a lot of stars; we should Nurture them to stardom. Their only problem is that they do not have money to bribe their way into the national teams. What we see are Agents craftily introducing even amateur players to our coaches at the expense of over One Hundred & Seventy Million Nigerians. This is a mortal sin because in Nigeria Football is higher than Religion.

There is speculation that Aliko Dangote plans to investment in Arsenal FC of England. what is your advice to him?

It is a welcome development. But it would have been better if he first of all acquires a premier club in Nigeria. Through the local club, Nigerian players can easily be moving to England to play for Arsenal and other premiership clubs. It will make a wonderful partnership.Keshi's sACK