Salisu Yusuf returns as Super Eagles assistant coach

Former Super Eagles assistant coach, Salisu Yusuf has returned to Gernot Rohr’s coaching crew three years after he was suspended from the position.

Salisu, who was involved in bribery in 2018, was handed a one-year ban by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and has since been away from the national team.

Although he was reinstated in 2019 after serving the ban, Salisu did not return as an official of the national team but was rather sent to render technical assistance to Enugu Rangers.

But the Executive Committee of the NFF has now approved the reinstatement of the coach to his position as assistant Coach of the Super Eagles – and Head Coach of the B team.

His resumption takes effect from 1st November 2021 according to the football house via a press statement by its spokesperson, Ademola Olajire on Thursday.

The statement quoted the General Secretary of the NFF, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, as annuncing the re-instatement of the former Kano Pillars, Enyimba FC and Rangers International FC gaffer by the NFF Board was on the recommendation of the NFF Technical Department.

The statement added, “Highly respected for his match–reading ability, calm demeanour and proficiency in talent discovery and development, Yusuf, in his playing days featured for Rancher Bees of Kaduna and El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri, among others.

“Yusuf’s return to the three-time African champions coincides with the closing stages of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifying second round phase and the commencement of preparations for the 33rd Africa Cup of Nations finals taking place in Cameroon early next year.”

Recall that in July 2018, a video made the rounds, of Salisu accepting cash from men who posed as football agents to select two players for his Morocco 2018 African Nations Championship squad.

He was later ordered to pay a fine of $5,000 by the NFF after the Ethics and Fair Play Committee ruled that the coach received $1,000 from the men.

After the one-year ban ended in 2019, Salisu was reinstated by the football body, which announced thus: “The federation has noted that the Chief Coach of the Super Eagles, Salisu Yusuf, has now fully served the one-year suspension clamped on him last year.”