Chief coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria Salisu Yusuf has been caught on camera taking N360,000 from fake football agents who wanted him to select two players for the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
As the chief coach of the Super Eagles, Yusuf is in charge of the Super Eagles home-based side and an assistant to Gernot Rohr for the Super Eagles.
He was in charge of the Super Eagles Team B to the 2017 WAFU and 2018 CHAN where they lost in both finals.
In an investigation led by Ghanaian journalists Anas Aremeyaw, reporters posing as football agents for some players approached Yusuf in September 2017 for a conversation about players' selection.
During the conversation, they handed the Nigerian coach N360,000 ($1000) and alluded to more cash incentives if he selects their players for CHAN 2018 which held in Morocco.
The clip has been made public by BBC African Eye.
The meeting happened in Ghana during the 2017 WAFU Cup where Nigeria finished second after losing the final 4-1 to host Ghana.
"So if anything goes through and these players are able to get their contracts, you will get 15% of that contract," one of the reporters posing as an agent told Yusuf to which he replied; "they will be in CHAN."
The two players were eventually selected for CHAN 2018 although the investigation stated that there is no suggestion that the money given to Yusuf influenced the selection.
Although he told the reporters that team selection is based solely on performances, Yusuf, a top Nigerian coach will be facing the wrath of FIFA, CAF and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Under the FIFA code of ethics, officials should not engage in any activity that gives rise to suspicion or collect any cash gifts.
"You know in football it is supposed to be consistency and form," Yusuf is heard telling the reporters in the clip.
The 56-year-old coach has also denied any wrongdoing, insisting that he did not promise or committed to selecting any player.
He also claimed that he never asked the reporters for money and that it was just offered to him. The coach also clarified that he received $750 not the $1000 claimed in the report.
He also claimed that he viewed the money as a trivial and symbolic value which falls within the gifts FIFA code allows for and that his influence over the players' selection was never affected.
He also believes that he was never in breach of FIFA or NFF ethics code.
Yusuf is also the coach of the National U-23 side due to lead Nigeria to the Olympics in 2020.
One of the most respected coaches in Nigeria, he worked as assistant manager of the Super Eagles under Stephen Keshi, Sunday Oliseh and Samson Siasia.
Yusuf led Kano Pillars to the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) title in 2008 and Enyimba to domestic Cup success in 2013.
Watch the video below:
Comments