Following growing anxiety and disaffection within the Nigeria sporting media, as regards the exact role of Tunde Adelakun in the present Super Eagles technical arrangement, a top official of the Nigeria football federation has offered critical explanations to quench growing anxieties.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official who is fully abreast of all the details in Gernot Rohr’s first and second contracts, explained that the NFF has taken time to thrash out Adelakun’s issue with Rohr who has accepted to personally pay him from his salary.
Consequently, Tunde Adelakun, like coach Rohr, are on contracts with the NFF, that will run from 2018 to 2020.
Recall that Rohr only recently signed a new deal that extends to 2020, meaning, he has accepted that his friend and very close confidant be included as part of his backroom staff during this period.
“He is part of Rohr’s technical team and duly listed on Rohr’s contract and he is paid by Rohr, the official said.
“He is a full-time Assistant coach appointed by the Head Coach, Gernot Rohr, and designated to also be the Manager in charge of Scouting, Team Welfare and External Liaison.”
Super Eagles chief coach allegedly asked his latest employee, Adelakun to join the exalted table of officials and players during a media parley ahead of Nigeria’s all-important Nations cup qualifier with Libya on Saturday, in Uyo.
In the question and answer session, Adelakun also had the privilege of answering questions thrown at him by reporters, a situation viewed by many as improper, since the FA was yet to officially clarify his position in the team.
“He has been officially delegated and now has a role and it’s Rohr that pays his salary, not the NFF,” the official added.
“The names of all Rohr’s assistants are clearly written in his new contract with their roles clearly spelt out,” he concluded.
Here is an updated list of Rohr’s backroom room staff with Tunde Adelakun’s role now properly assigned:
Name/ Position
- Gernot Rohr/ Technical Adviser
- Salisu Yusuf/ Head Coach
- Jean Luc Royer/ Technical Assistant
- Everson Ferreira /Technical Assistant II
- Nabil Trabelsi/ Video Analyst
- Imama Amapakabo /Assistant Coach
- Tunde Adelakun /Chief Scouting, welfare/Liason officer
- Alloysius Agu /Goalkeeper Trainer
This article was most recently revised and updated 4 years ago