SHOCKER: Sunday Oliseh resigns as Nigeria coach, claims NFF sabotage

Sunday Oliseh has shockingly resigned as coach of Nigeria after just seven months in the post, claiming the federation is sabotaging him.

The former Super Eagles midfielder says everything is being done by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to undermine his work ahead of next month’s crucial AFCON qualifiers against Egypt.

Oliseh’s frosty relationship with the NFF has been simmering over the past few months as he is angry over the sacking of his personal assistant and former international Tijjani Babangida.

The Belgium-based manager is equally unhappy over rumours that the NFF approached Ivory Coast coach Herve Renard to take over the Super Eagles. Renard has since been appointed coach of Morocco.

Nigeria host seven-time African champions and group leaders Egypt on March 25 in Kaduna before a reverse fixture days later in Egypt with only the group winners guaranteed automatic passage to the final tournament in Gabon in January 2017.

Oliseh believes plans are underway to sabotage the two matches to ensure the Super Eagles don’t qualify for the Nations Cup to force his removal.

“I feel fortunate, blessed and eternally grateful for having had the honour to Play,Captain & Coach this great Nation of ours, Nigeria,” Oliseh wrote on his Twitter handle late on Thursday night.

“Due to contract violations, lack of support, unpaid wages, benefits to my players, Asst.Coaches and myself, I resign as Super Eagles Chief Coach.”

A top official informed AfricanFootball.com: “Oliseh has resigned as Super Eagles coach after he did not enjoy the right support from the Nigeria Football Federation.

“He complained that everything was being done for him to fail against Egypt so he could be made a scape goat.

“His resignation letter was addressed to NFF president Amaju Pinnick and he copied principal officials like the general secretary and the two vice-presidents.

“He also spoke on the phone with the sports minister.”

He is owed four months’ salary and a promised accommodation in the nation’s capital of Abuja has yet to be redeemed.

Former Nigeria skipper Oliseh was appointed in July 2015 as the country’s coach in place of sacked Stephen Keshi.

However, the relationship between he and the NFF has soured since Nigeria failed to go past the group stage of the recent African Nations Championship in Rwanda.

Amid speculations over his future, Oliseh took to the social media platform YouTube to vent his frustration by attacking his critics who wanted him sacked, but he will later apologise.

Nigerian sports minister Solomon Dalung waded into the crisis when he advised the NFF against sacking the coach.