lundi, février 20, 2006
Keshi says he has not been sacked
Togo coach Stephen Keshi has declared that he remains in charge of the national side.
Although a dismissal statement linked to the Togo Football Federation (TFF) was broadcast on national television and published on the country's official website, Keshi told BBC Sport that he is still on course to lead the team to the World Cup finals.
"I have not been sacked and I remain in charge of the national team," Keshi told BBC Sport in an exclusive interview on Monday from Lome.
Voted as the continent's coach of the year at the African Football awards that took place in Abuja, Nigeria's capital, last week, Keshi said he was shocked to hear news of his dismissal while he was out of Togo to receive his prize.
Togo coach hangs in the balance
"The first thing I heard about my so-called dismissal was during my stay in Nigeria, where I went to receive my award.
"I was shocked that stories were going round that I had been dismissed.
"I have not been told by anyone at the Togolese federation that I have lost my job and I remain in Togo to honour my contractual obligations to them.
"I know that I still have the support of the Togolese people, who have shown me nothing but love since I started working here."
The former Nigeria captain became a hero in Togo after defying the odds to lead the country to an unexpected maiden berth at this summer's World Cup finals, ahead of Senegal and Zambia.
But Togo's first-round exit from the African Cup of Nations in Egypt, where he had a row with striker Sheyi Adebayor, did not go down well with some powerful members of Togo's football community.
Keshi admitted that his side's performance in Egypt was disappointing but vowed that it would not deter him from preparing his side for Germany, where they will face France, Switzerland and South Korea in the group stages.
-BBC
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