SALISU YUSUF DON HAMMER!!!...then gets caught

[Cmoke]

Two points:

Who be worst thief ? Your house guest who stole $1 in loose change from your living room or the one $1000 from your house?

A thief low enough to steal $1 will definitely steal $1000 if given the opportunity. So Salisu na real barawo!


The second point . Why did BBC wait from September 2017 to now before releasing this tape? Was their hope to use this tape to destabilize SE should we face England in World Cup?


So we can’t have a thief and a security risk as coach!

Cmoke

Salisu Yusuf Denies BBC Bribe Allegation




Chief coach of Nigeria’s national team Salisu Yusuf has denied any wrongdoing after footage broadcast on Tuesday showed him accepting money from undercover reporters posing as football agents.

Earlier today the BBC posted a video of Yusuf taking what it said was $1,000 (850 euros) after a conversation about the selection of two players for the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN).

The video was recored by Ghanaian . . . http://www.soccerassembly.com/salisu-yu ... llegation/

[txj]

It is wrong to accuse a person without proof so those who asked for proof are correct. Is it true that endemic corruption and age cheating exists in the game? Yes. But we cannot far everyone with the same brush. I had a colleague at a former job tell people that my documents must be fake as I am Nigerian. He was rightly asked for proof and disciplined when he could not provide it. Would he have been wrong if he stopped at saying that fraud is endemic in Nigeria? No he would have been correct. However, by making that leap he caused me, an innocent man, a lot of distress.

Take it from me, txj is an educated cvnt. He wants a civilised society but wants to get there in an uncivilised manner. He wants to do bad so that good can come out of it. Hello - how does that work?

He can't understand those who asks for proof. He thinks he's the only one with morals and he doesn't even recognise his warped ideals. I pray one day he suffers unnecessarily because he's Nigerian at the hands of those who thinks nothing good can come out of Nigeria.

I understand the need for proof. I also understand enough to make a distinction between levels of evidence, and not to hide behind that to shamelessly support age cheating...

When Adokiye offered proof regarding Fortune Chukwudi, what did you say here on CE?

[Waffiman]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-44925466

[Waffiman]

This has made his position with the team untenable. The players cannot respect him with this.

I concur.

[Bouncer]

NFF must make an example of Salisu Yusuf

Solace Chukwu
Correspondent


The Super Eagles coach, caught on tape accepting money in an undercover investigation, must now serve as a cautionary tale

To prove that things can always get worse, Nigeria has yet another scandal in its football constituency to grapple with.

Where, however, there was, and still is some uncertainty surrounding the legitimacy of both claimants to the NFF presidency, there is no mistaking the content of Tuesday's explosive BBC undercover report.

In it, Super Eagles assistant manager Salisu Yusuf features prominently, appearing to receive a sum of money as part of a discussion centring on two members of the African Nations Championship squad he oversees.

The implications of this are grave, of course. The takeaway from the video is twofold: first, that he received the sum of $1000 from a reporter presenting himself as a player representative. Second, he seems to reach a verbal understanding with the reporter regarding a percentage of the fee from a future transfer, dependent on the participation of certain players in the CHAN.

In the first, it is unclear what the amount offered is intended for. Yusuf has defended himself by claiming that it was a gift, with no strings attached. Backing up this defence is the fact that players involved (their names are withheld in the report) were, by all indications, already regulars within the team, and so their inclusions were not influenced by the cash offered and accepted.

This defence somewhat misses the point, which is this: the moment the reporter presented himself as a player representative, there is immediately a question of conflict of interest surrounding any 'gift' offered.

The second takeaway, though, is rather less defensible, as the promised percentage is clearly stated, and he replies with an assurance that the players in question would be part of the squad.

Again, the line of defence that these players were already integral members of the squad is moot; the surprise dropping of previously important players on the eve of tournaments is not unheard of, and no one's place in a team is a given.

The situation also makes one wonder about Peter Eneji, a member of the squad who was named in it despite being injured and unavailable, and who was only fit to appear in the final, a game in which he underwhelmed thoroughly and was promptly sent off.

In light of the recent revelations, what seemed simply incomprehensible at the time now takes on a shadier interpretation.

In any case, there is unlikely to be much sympathy for the 56-year-old coach. The phenomenon of coaches getting their palms greased in exchange for fielding certain players is neither new nor surprising. It is part of the larger rot in Nigerian football at all levels; it was bound to blow up at some point, and Yusuf, in so simply allowing himself to be trapped, will be made an example.

On the one hand, it is a bit tough on him. The mild-mannered Zaria-born coach is one of the most respected in the country, and has managed some of the biggest clubs in the land, from Kano Pillars to two-time African champions Enyimba, largely without scandal.

On the other hand, it is precisely his large profile that makes his such a prime scapegoat.

He is by no means the worst of the bunch, but he's the one whose hand was found in the jar, and the consequences must necessarily be hefty, not so much because his indiscretion is overly heinous (indeed, much of the video can be construed any number of ways), but because the football authorities in Nigeria have to send a message, a sort of deterrent.

This would also be a means by which the beleaguered NFF can re-assert their control, and stave off the sense of circus around the nation's football. It will (and should) almost certainly lead to Yusuf losing his position with the national team. Anything less would further undermine the Glass House.

In that sense, Yusuf's sacrifice is not merely punitive, but also symbolic.

http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/nff-must ... hiia53ys31

[Bouncer]

He should be fired.

I will be surprised if he waits for that to happen and not resign to at least retain some dignity or whatever is left of it. He should have walked the minute this hits the air....

Yeah, surprised. Like resignation in such situation happens often in your zoo. Make we hear word abeg.

[txj]

Adiele....

[niyi]

The second point . Why did BBC wait from September 2017 to now before releasing this tape? Was their hope to use this tape to destabilize SE should we face England in World Cup?


So we can’t have a thief and a security risk as coach!

Cmoke

Cmoke, my understanding is that the BBC waited till the end of the world cup to protect us from the drama.

[pajimoh]

It is wrong to accuse a person without proof so those who asked for proof are correct. Is it true that endemic corruption and age cheating exists in the game? Yes. But we cannot far everyone with the same brush. I had a colleague at a former job tell people that my documents must be fake as I am Nigerian. He was rightly asked for proof and disciplined when he could not provide it. Would he have been wrong if he stopped at saying that fraud is endemic in Nigeria? No he would have been correct. However, by making that leap he caused me, an innocent man, a lot of distress.

Take it from me, txj is an educated cvnt. He wants a civilised society but wants to get there in an uncivilised manner. He wants to do bad so that good can come out of it. Hello - how does that work?

He can't understand those who asks for proof. He thinks he's the only one with morals and he doesn't even recognise his warped ideals. I pray one day he suffers unnecessarily because he's Nigerian at the hands of those who thinks nothing good can come out of Nigeria.

I understand the need for proof. I also understand enough to make a distinction between levels of evidence, and not to hide behind that to shamelessly support age cheating...

When Adokiye offered proof regarding Fortune Chukwudi, what did you say here on CE?

I tell you what, stop detailing this thread. Just go, find what I said and post it here with links.
It seems you know what I said but don't want to post it to buttress your point.
My point still stands. Doing injustice to someone in the name of justice is a bigger crime. That is what most civilized society are based on. That is why even suspected criminals can only be denied their freedom with proof. But it seems txj just want us to take his word at face value.

Age cheats are robbers of destiny and should be dealt with severely. But it must be done within the ambit of the law

[heavyd]

He should be fired.

I will be surprised if he waits for that to happen and not resign to at least retain some dignity or whatever is left of it. He should have walked the minute this hits the air....

It doesnt look like he wants to resign o... going by his pathetic and shameful attempt at covering his tracks and justifying the reasons for taking the cash. Its the typical African man in power mindset... hold on to your post by fire by force until you are unceremoniously booted out!

[Waffiman]

WOW!

Does not look good at all.

He should at the very least be suspended and then fired. I believe in Naijaria, you don't have to complete the process of acting favourably for it to be termed a bribe. Once you accept the money which was given to you explicitly to curry favour, whether you do it or don't do it, it is a crime.

Kai! The greed.



...and the dude is claiming it was $750 so as to claim it was a gift that falls under FIFA allowable standard.
Who the #$%& is he fooling?

[Bouncer]

They need to show the full video because I've had similar conversations with many ppl in our set up and Salisu was very different. Also, the players mentioned, were in the WAFU Cup team Salisu took to Ghana where the sting operation took place. They were already internationals.

Let me state my bias.....I have gotten to know Salisu very recently. He is a very good man with a sturdy reputation. Yes he gets too cozy with agents but never seen to this extent.

I really hate that this is happening to him,

You sound like a muguh.

I hope your attempt at insulting me makes you feel better about yourself.

Cheers.

It's not an insult, but a reality of who and what you sounded like. You knew Salisu recently, yet you are attesting that he is a very good man with a sturdy reputation. You knew him just recently for goodness sake. Man, you are a complete muguh coming up with such comment.

[Ugbowo]

They need to show the full video because I've had similar conversations with many ppl in our set up and Salisu was very different. Also, the players mentioned, were in the WAFU Cup team Salisu took to Ghana where the sting operation took place. They were already internationals.

Let me state my bias.....I have gotten to know Salisu very recently. He is a very good man with a sturdy reputation. Yes he gets too cozy with agents but never seen to this extent.

I really hate that this is happening to him,

You sound like a muguh.

I hope your attempt at insulting me makes you feel better about yourself.

Cheers.

It's not an insult, but a reality of who and what you sounded like. You knew Salisu recently, yet you are attesting that he is a very good man with a sturdy reputation. You knew him just recently for goodness sake. Man, you are a complete muguh coming up with such comment.

Wow. I don't want to get in the gutter with you so you can continue to insult all you like afterall it's the internet.

But for the sake of adult conversation, people can have a reputation BEFORE you meet them you know. They could have numerous stories told about them to you before you meet them and you can then interact with them and start to see them exhibit those traits...but hey what do I know....I'm the mugu abi?

[Bouncer]

They need to show the full video because I've had similar conversations with many ppl in our set up and Salisu was very different. Also, the players mentioned, were in the WAFU Cup team Salisu took to Ghana where the sting operation took place. They were already internationals.

Let me state my bias.....I have gotten to know Salisu very recently. He is a very good man with a sturdy reputation. Yes he gets too cozy with agents but never seen to this extent.

I really hate that this is happening to him,

You sound like a muguh.

I hope your attempt at insulting me makes you feel better about yourself.

Cheers.

It's not an insult, but a reality of who and what you sounded like. You knew Salisu recently, yet you are attesting that he is a very good man with a sturdy reputation. You knew him just recently for goodness sake. Man, you are a complete muguh coming up with such comment.

Wow. I don't want to get in the gutter with you so you can continue to insult all you like afterall it's the internet.

But for the sake of adult conversation, people can have a reputation BEFORE you meet them you know. They could have numerous stories told about them to you before you meet them and you can then interact with them and start to see them exhibit those traits...but hey what do I know....I'm the mugu abi?

Stop your muguish behavior already. Salisu in the video has proven you as a mugu by believing in whatever you heard of him before meeting him. Lesson 101: never trust any man and his claim of good character, unless if you are a muguh. People can hide their character to deceive others like you. You seem like a very young man growing and learning the tricks of like. My advise to you as a senior is never trust anyone including your very self.

[Ugbowo]

They need to show the full video because I've had similar conversations with many ppl in our set up and Salisu was very different. Also, the players mentioned, were in the WAFU Cup team Salisu took to Ghana where the sting operation took place. They were already internationals.

Let me state my bias.....I have gotten to know Salisu very recently. He is a very good man with a sturdy reputation. Yes he gets too cozy with agents but never seen to this extent.

I really hate that this is happening to him,

You sound like a muguh.

I hope your attempt at insulting me makes you feel better about yourself.

Cheers.

It's not an insult, but a reality of who and what you sounded like. You knew Salisu recently, yet you are attesting that he is a very good man with a sturdy reputation. You knew him just recently for goodness sake. Man, you are a complete muguh coming up with such comment.

Wow. I don't want to get in the gutter with you so you can continue to insult all you like afterall it's the internet.

But for the sake of adult conversation, people can have a reputation BEFORE you meet them you know. They could have numerous stories told about them to you before you meet them and you can then interact with them and start to see them exhibit those traits...but hey what do I know....I'm the mugu abi?

Stop your muguish behavior already. Salisu in the video has proven you as a mugu by believing in whatever you heard of him before meeting him. Lesson 101: never trust any man and his claim of good character, unless if you are a muguh. People can hide their character to deceive others like you. You seem like a very young man growing and learning the tricks of like. My advise to you as a senior is never trust anyone including your very self.

Then as old as you are your life must be very miserable living in distrust of even yourself.

Cheers from the mugu.

[cic old boy]

This has made his position with the team untenable. The players cannot respect him with this.

Like this is news to the players!

[Ugbowo]

This has made his position with the team untenable. The players cannot respect him with this.

Like this is news to the players!

I wanted to say this but I just hold my tongue.

Somebody even mentioned Rohr.....

[Bouncer]

They need to show the full video because I've had similar conversations with many ppl in our set up and Salisu was very different. Also, the players mentioned, were in the WAFU Cup team Salisu took to Ghana where the sting operation took place. They were already internationals.

Let me state my bias.....I have gotten to know Salisu very recently. He is a very good man with a sturdy reputation. Yes he gets too cozy with agents but never seen to this extent.

I really hate that this is happening to him,

You sound like a muguh.

I hope your attempt at insulting me makes you feel better about yourself.

Cheers.

It's not an insult, but a reality of who and what you sounded like. You knew Salisu recently, yet you are attesting that he is a very good man with a sturdy reputation. You knew him just recently for goodness sake. Man, you are a complete muguh coming up with such comment.

Wow. I don't want to get in the gutter with you so you can continue to insult all you like afterall it's the internet.

But for the sake of adult conversation, people can have a reputation BEFORE you meet them you know. They could have numerous stories told about them to you before you meet them and you can then interact with them and start to see them exhibit those traits...but hey what do I know....I'm the mugu abi?

Stop your muguish behavior already. Salisu in the video has proven you as a mugu by believing in whatever you heard of him before meeting him. Lesson 101: never trust any man and his claim of good character, unless if you are a muguh. People can hide their character to deceive others like you. You seem like a very young man growing and learning the tricks of like. My advise to you as a senior is never trust anyone including your very self.

Then as old as you are your life must be very miserable living in distrust of even yourself.

Cheers from the mugu.

I will leave you to your muguish behavior since that is all you want and will never learn.

[Bell]

NFF must make an example of Salisu Yusuf

Solace Chukwu
Correspondent


The Super Eagles coach, caught on tape accepting money in an undercover investigation, must now serve as a cautionary tale

To prove that things can always get worse, Nigeria has yet another scandal in its football constituency to grapple with.

Where, however, there was, and still is some uncertainty surrounding the legitimacy of both claimants to the NFF presidency, there is no mistaking the content of Tuesday's explosive BBC undercover report.

In it, Super Eagles assistant manager Salisu Yusuf features prominently, appearing to receive a sum of money as part of a discussion centring on two members of the African Nations Championship squad he oversees.

The implications of this are grave, of course. The takeaway from the video is twofold: first, that he received the sum of $1000 from a reporter presenting himself as a player representative. Second, he seems to reach a verbal understanding with the reporter regarding a percentage of the fee from a future transfer, dependent on the participation of certain players in the CHAN.

In the first, it is unclear what the amount offered is intended for. Yusuf has defended himself by claiming that it was a gift, with no strings attached. Backing up this defence is the fact that players involved (their names are withheld in the report) were, by all indications, already regulars within the team, and so their inclusions were not influenced by the cash offered and accepted.

This defence somewhat misses the point, which is this: the moment the reporter presented himself as a player representative, there is immediately a question of conflict of interest surrounding any 'gift' offered.

The second takeaway, though, is rather less defensible, as the promised percentage is clearly stated, and he replies with an assurance that the players in question would be part of the squad.

Again, the line of defence that these players were already integral members of the squad is moot; the surprise dropping of previously important players on the eve of tournaments is not unheard of, and no one's place in a team is a given.

The situation also makes one wonder about Peter Eneji, a member of the squad who was named in it despite being injured and unavailable, and who was only fit to appear in the final, a game in which he underwhelmed thoroughly and was promptly sent off.

In light of the recent revelations, what seemed simply incomprehensible at the time now takes on a shadier interpretation.

In any case, there is unlikely to be much sympathy for the 56-year-old coach. The phenomenon of coaches getting their palms greased in exchange for fielding certain players is neither new nor surprising. It is part of the larger rot in Nigerian football at all levels; it was bound to blow up at some point, and Yusuf, in so simply allowing himself to be trapped, will be made an example.

On the one hand, it is a bit tough on him. The mild-mannered Zaria-born coach is one of the most respected in the country, and has managed some of the biggest clubs in the land, from Kano Pillars to two-time African champions Enyimba, largely without scandal.

On the other hand, it is precisely his large profile that makes his such a prime scapegoat.

He is by no means the worst of the bunch, but he's the one whose hand was found in the jar, and the consequences must necessarily be hefty, not so much because his indiscretion is overly heinous (indeed, much of the video can be construed any number of ways), but because the football authorities in Nigeria have to send a message, a sort of deterrent.

This would also be a means by which the beleaguered NFF can re-assert their control, and stave off the sense of circus around the nation's football. It will (and should) almost certainly lead to Yusuf losing his position with the national team. Anything less would further undermine the Glass House.

In that sense, Yusuf's sacrifice is not merely punitive, but also symbolic.

http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/nff-must ... hiia53ys31

GREAT WRITEUP

This is all very good. I mean this incident. Should serve as a great teaching moment in football and beyond. I think Salisu's argument is weak and could be seen as such by a jury, if there's one:
1) The video shows him sitting in a room alone as if expecting people for some meeting (that's not the setting for a harmless and innocent gift)
2) If the visitors referred to themselves as agents that should have been enough reason to end things right there, if only for the sake of appearance.
3) They promised a specific percentage of potential contracts, an indication of a quid pro quo.

Regardless of how one feels, he deserves due process, a concept established for accused people. I'm not a lawyer but I can see how he gets off on a criminal case, based only on this video. Administratively, however, this should be the end for him. The NFF should conduct an investigation to get at the truth and decide what changes are needed to minimize incidents like this.

Many have attested to Salisu's mild manneredness and excellence as a coach which should only minimize the potential penalties as a public sefvant. For his fans, he's not necessarily finished as he can use his skill and experience to set up an academy.
Bell

[Bell]

This is exactly the reason why I want rohr to continue because a local coach come in charge and it will be back to square one. I have looked at rohr 23 and there no player on that list that his inclusion was questionable

WEAK ARGUMENT TO JUSTIFY FOREIGNERS OVER NIGERIANS


The word "corruption" has been around forever and was not conceived for Nigerians. I don't need to cite cases of serious corruption outside Nigeria and Africa - I'm sure you can come up with yours.

Who do these non-Nigerian/non-African countries run to when there's corruption in their midst? Nobody. They look inwards. They investigate, then dispose of the case either by some penalty or acquittal. Then they review existing rules to see if they are adequate or what changes are needed. That's what Nigeria and the NFF should do. It shouldn't be the reason why foreign coaches should be retained in perpetuity.
Bell

[Ugbowo]

NFF must make an example of Salisu Yusuf

Solace Chukwu
Correspondent


The Super Eagles coach, caught on tape accepting money in an undercover investigation, must now serve as a cautionary tale

To prove that things can always get worse, Nigeria has yet another scandal in its football constituency to grapple with.

Where, however, there was, and still is some uncertainty surrounding the legitimacy of both claimants to the NFF presidency, there is no mistaking the content of Tuesday's explosive BBC undercover report.

In it, Super Eagles assistant manager Salisu Yusuf features prominently, appearing to receive a sum of money as part of a discussion centring on two members of the African Nations Championship squad he oversees.

The implications of this are grave, of course. The takeaway from the video is twofold: first, that he received the sum of $1000 from a reporter presenting himself as a player representative. Second, he seems to reach a verbal understanding with the reporter regarding a percentage of the fee from a future transfer, dependent on the participation of certain players in the CHAN.

In the first, it is unclear what the amount offered is intended for. Yusuf has defended himself by claiming that it was a gift, with no strings attached. Backing up this defence is the fact that players involved (their names are withheld in the report) were, by all indications, already regulars within the team, and so their inclusions were not influenced by the cash offered and accepted.

This defence somewhat misses the point, which is this: the moment the reporter presented himself as a player representative, there is immediately a question of conflict of interest surrounding any 'gift' offered.

The second takeaway, though, is rather less defensible, as the promised percentage is clearly stated, and he replies with an assurance that the players in question would be part of the squad.

Again, the line of defence that these players were already integral members of the squad is moot; the surprise dropping of previously important players on the eve of tournaments is not unheard of, and no one's place in a team is a given.

The situation also makes one wonder about Peter Eneji, a member of the squad who was named in it despite being injured and unavailable, and who was only fit to appear in the final, a game in which he underwhelmed thoroughly and was promptly sent off.

In light of the recent revelations, what seemed simply incomprehensible at the time now takes on a shadier interpretation.

In any case, there is unlikely to be much sympathy for the 56-year-old coach. The phenomenon of coaches getting their palms greased in exchange for fielding certain players is neither new nor surprising. It is part of the larger rot in Nigerian football at all levels; it was bound to blow up at some point, and Yusuf, in so simply allowing himself to be trapped, will be made an example.

On the one hand, it is a bit tough on him. The mild-mannered Zaria-born coach is one of the most respected in the country, and has managed some of the biggest clubs in the land, from Kano Pillars to two-time African champions Enyimba, largely without scandal.

On the other hand, it is precisely his large profile that makes his such a prime scapegoat.

He is by no means the worst of the bunch, but he's the one whose hand was found in the jar, and the consequences must necessarily be hefty, not so much because his indiscretion is overly heinous (indeed, much of the video can be construed any number of ways), but because the football authorities in Nigeria have to send a message, a sort of deterrent.

This would also be a means by which the beleaguered NFF can re-assert their control, and stave off the sense of circus around the nation's football. It will (and should) almost certainly lead to Yusuf losing his position with the national team. Anything less would further undermine the Glass House.

In that sense, Yusuf's sacrifice is not merely punitive, but also symbolic.

http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/nff-must ... hiia53ys31

GREAT WRITEUP

This is all very good. I mean this incident. Should serve as a great teaching moment in football and beyond. I think Salisu's argument is weak and could be seen as such by a jury, if there's one:
1) The video shows him sitting in a room alone as if expecting people for some meeting (that's not the setting for a harmless and innocent gift)
2) If the visitors referred to themselves as agents that should have been enough reason to end things right there, if only for the sake of appearance.
3) They promised a specific percentage of potential contracts, an indication of a quid pro quo.

Regardless of how one feels, he deserves due process, a concept established for accused people. I'm not a lawyer but I can see how he gets off on a criminal case, based only on this video. Administratively, however, this should be the end for him. The NFF should conduct an investigation to get at the truth and decide what changes are needed to minimize incidents like this.

Many have attested to Salisu's mild manneredness and excellence as a coach which should only minimize the potential penalties as a public sefvant. For his fans, he's not necessarily finished as he can use his skill and experience to set up an academy.
Bell

Ok I think the people in football on this site need to come and educate us on the way the football business currently works. Because lets face it, It's a business!

Agents and Coaches mingle ALL the time like its nothing. In fact some see it as part of their job in club football especially and to an extent National team football. So Bell, I'm responding to your statement about him walking away once he found out he was in a room with an agent. It just doesn't work like that. Now that doesn't absolve him from the fact that he TOOK the money. That's where the story gets very crooked and he didn't stop him in his tracks when he mentioned the 15% commission on any transfers. He was very stupid at both those instances.

I am curious over why we only saw a snippet of the video though. I want to see more.

[Bell]

NFF must make an example of Salisu Yusuf

Solace Chukwu
Correspondent


The Super Eagles coach, caught on tape accepting money in an undercover investigation, must now serve as a cautionary tale

To prove that things can always get worse, Nigeria has yet another scandal in its football constituency to grapple with.

Where, however, there was, and still is some uncertainty surrounding the legitimacy of both claimants to the NFF presidency, there is no mistaking the content of Tuesday's explosive BBC undercover report.

In it, Super Eagles assistant manager Salisu Yusuf features prominently, appearing to receive a sum of money as part of a discussion centring on two members of the African Nations Championship squad he oversees.

The implications of this are grave, of course. The takeaway from the video is twofold: first, that he received the sum of $1000 from a reporter presenting himself as a player representative. Second, he seems to reach a verbal understanding with the reporter regarding a percentage of the fee from a future transfer, dependent on the participation of certain players in the CHAN.

In the first, it is unclear what the amount offered is intended for. Yusuf has defended himself by claiming that it was a gift, with no strings attached. Backing up this defence is the fact that players involved (their names are withheld in the report) were, by all indications, already regulars within the team, and so their inclusions were not influenced by the cash offered and accepted.

This defence somewhat misses the point, which is this: the moment the reporter presented himself as a player representative, there is immediately a question of conflict of interest surrounding any 'gift' offered.

The second takeaway, though, is rather less defensible, as the promised percentage is clearly stated, and he replies with an assurance that the players in question would be part of the squad.

Again, the line of defence that these players were already integral members of the squad is moot; the surprise dropping of previously important players on the eve of tournaments is not unheard of, and no one's place in a team is a given.

The situation also makes one wonder about Peter Eneji, a member of the squad who was named in it despite being injured and unavailable, and who was only fit to appear in the final, a game in which he underwhelmed thoroughly and was promptly sent off.

In light of the recent revelations, what seemed simply incomprehensible at the time now takes on a shadier interpretation.

In any case, there is unlikely to be much sympathy for the 56-year-old coach. The phenomenon of coaches getting their palms greased in exchange for fielding certain players is neither new nor surprising. It is part of the larger rot in Nigerian football at all levels; it was bound to blow up at some point, and Yusuf, in so simply allowing himself to be trapped, will be made an example.

On the one hand, it is a bit tough on him. The mild-mannered Zaria-born coach is one of the most respected in the country, and has managed some of the biggest clubs in the land, from Kano Pillars to two-time African champions Enyimba, largely without scandal.

On the other hand, it is precisely his large profile that makes his such a prime scapegoat.

He is by no means the worst of the bunch, but he's the one whose hand was found in the jar, and the consequences must necessarily be hefty, not so much because his indiscretion is overly heinous (indeed, much of the video can be construed any number of ways), but because the football authorities in Nigeria have to send a message, a sort of deterrent.

This would also be a means by which the beleaguered NFF can re-assert their control, and stave off the sense of circus around the nation's football. It will (and should) almost certainly lead to Yusuf losing his position with the national team. Anything less would further undermine the Glass House.

In that sense, Yusuf's sacrifice is not merely punitive, but also symbolic.

http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/nff-must ... hiia53ys31

GREAT WRITEUP

This is all very good. I mean this incident. Should serve as a great teaching moment in football and beyond. I think Salisu's argument is weak and could be seen as such by a jury, if there's one:
1) The video shows him sitting in a room alone as if expecting people for some meeting (that's not the setting for a harmless and innocent gift)
2) If the visitors referred to themselves as agents that should have been enough reason to end things right there, if only for the sake of appearance.
3) They promised a specific percentage of potential contracts, an indication of a quid pro quo.

Regardless of how one feels, he deserves due process, a concept established for accused people. I'm not a lawyer but I can see how he gets off on a criminal case, based only on this video. Administratively, however, this should be the end for him. The NFF should conduct an investigation to get at the truth and decide what changes are needed to minimize incidents like this.

Many have attested to Salisu's mild manneredness and excellence as a coach which should only minimize the potential penalties as a public sefvant. For his fans, he's not necessarily finished as he can use his skill and experience to set up an academy.
Bell

Ok I think the people in football on this site need to come and educate us on the way the football business currently works. Because lets face it, It's a business!

Agents and Coaches mingle ALL the time like its nothing. In fact some see it as part of their job in club football especially and to an extent National team football. So Bell, I'm responding to your statement about him walking away once he found out he was in a room with an agent. It just doesn't work like that. Now that doesn't absolve him from the fact that he TOOK the money. That's where the story gets very crooked and he didn't stop him in his tracks when he mentioned the 15% commission on any transfers. He was very stupid at both those instances.

I am curious over why we only saw a snippet of the video though. I want to see more.

HERE'S WHAT I THINK WHEN I SEE THE OPENING OF THE VIDEO (OF COURSE, I COULD BE WRONG)

It appears a bunch of guys in a hush-hush manner had told him they'd like to meet hin in Room XXX. So he goes in there and waits for them. It doesn't look like a chance meeting where they bumped into him and handed him the "gift". If he was smart (and/or honest) he should have placed himself on high alert regarding this suspicious appointment.

Agents around the world are not the most moral of people - I'd put them there with politicians, pimps, used car salesmen and the like -and they would do anything for their clients. It's incumbent on FA's to do all they can to keep them away and advise their coaches on how to deal with them. That will not keep them away entirely but it's up to coaches to do want they can to avoid appearances that could be misconstrued or call their impartiality and integrity into question.
Bell

[akamoke]

It is wrong to accuse a person without proof so those who asked for proof are correct. Is it true that endemic corruption and age cheating exists in the game? Yes. But we cannot far everyone with the same brush. I had a colleague at a former job tell people that my documents must be fake as I am Nigerian. He was rightly asked for proof and disciplined when he could not provide it. Would he have been wrong if he stopped at saying that fraud is endemic in Nigeria? No he would have been correct. However, by making that leap he caused me, an innocent man, a lot of distress.

Take it from me, txj is an educated cvnt. He wants a civilised society but wants to get there in an uncivilised manner. He wants to do bad so that good can come out of it. Hello - how does that work?

He can't understand those who asks for proof. He thinks he's the only one with morals and he doesn't even recognise his warped ideals. I pray one day he suffers unnecessarily because he's Nigerian at the hands of those who thinks nothing good can come out of Nigeria.

I understand the need for proof. I also understand enough to make a distinction between levels of evidence, and not to hide behind that to shamelessly support age cheating...

When Adokiye offered proof regarding Fortune Chukwudi, what did you say here on CE?

Txj, I remember this episode well
To my defense and many here asking for proof, It took a while, about a week (for some reason it seemed longer) for Adokiye to convert his allegation to fact by supplying the key evidence (photo)...that was all most of us wanted to know...I think aruako1's comments captures my sentiments when making acusations. In a country where innocent people have been torched alive simply because someone yells "Ole ole ole", one has to be extreeeeeeeeeeemly careful