Pinnick Says He Has No Regrets About Keshi

Former Nigeria Football Federation president, Amaju Pinnick, has rejected claims that his board caused problems for the late Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi. He insists that he has nothing to apologise for to the former Nigeria captain.

Pinnick shared these thoughts in the latest episode of "The Pinnick Tapes" (REMASTERED): NFF Scandals Exposed. The episode was released on Sunday Oliseh’s YouTube channel, Global Football Insights With Oliseh, on Friday.

He was asked if he thought the NFF’s relationship with Keshi during his final years affected the Super Eagles after their golden era. Keshi led Nigeria to win the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and took the team to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

When asked what he would apologise to Keshi for if he could meet him today, Pinnick was clear. He said, "There’s no way I would have apologised to Keshi. Keshi, God rest his soul, he was an icon."

Pinnick maintained that they had a good relationship until Keshi died in 2016. He said, "We had a very warm relationship until he passed, and when he passed, we were the first people that went."

Pinnick also rejected claims that his administration worked against Keshi. He said decisions about the coach were based on reports the federation had at the time. "But there’s no way I would have apologised to Keshi because we didn’t do anything wrong. We did what we did based on report," he stated.

His comments came after a question from someone who claimed to be a "Big Boss loyalist." This person accused Pinnick’s board of contributing to the Super Eagles' decline after their 2013 AFCON victory. They also asked if Pinnick would apologise for the tensions that Keshi faced in his last years with the national team.

Pinnick dismissed the criticism and highlighted his ongoing relationship with Oliseh. Oliseh also had a tough time as Super Eagles coach. During the interview, he remembered facing some of the same challenges that affected Keshi during his coaching period.

Oliseh pointed out that some people who made things difficult for Keshi were still around when he became the coach. However, Pinnick insisted that his administration allowed technical staff to work freely. He argued that the NFF had various committees to guide the executive committee.

He said he gave members of the technical committee and other bodies the freedom to help run football, as long as their decisions did not harm the national interest.

Pinnick's comments come amid renewed discussions about how Nigerian football is managed and how local coaches are treated. Oliseh also questioned why former Super Eagles players like Emmanuel Amunike have found it hard to get lasting roles with the national team.

Keshi, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 54, is one of the most celebrated figures in Nigerian football. He was the first African coach to win the Africa Cup of Nations both as a player and as a coach.