Nigeria's Keshi set to ink new deal as national team coach

Nigeria's senior soccer team coach Stephen Keshi is close to signing a new deal with the country's football federation, top sources said Monday.

Keshi will ink the fresh deal with the Nigeria Football Federation on Tuesday, though it was earlier scheduled to hold last Friday in the Nigerian capital Abuja, a football official who preferred anonymity told Xinhua.

According to the source, Keshi's contract signing was deliberately delayed by the football authorities to give him enough time to settle scores with some of the high-ranking members of the local football governing body.

"Keshi has now eaten the humble pie and it is clear he will work in harmony with the football officials, coaches, media and players for the good of the country," the source said.

Another source told Xinhua that the Nigerian coach has agreed to work closely with the team's technical director, Shuaibu Amodu and assistant coach Daniel Amokachi, in the two-year contract.

At the signing of the new contract and unveiling of the coach on Tuesday, president of the Nigerian football body, Amaju Pinnick, will be unavoidably absent, said the source. His absence, the source added, will not in any way hinder the signing of the contract as everything has been made possible for the ceremony.

Keshi's fate as coach of the Super Eagles had been hanging in the balance since the team crashed out of the world cup in Brazil last July, following a second-round defeat by France. Endi