Vogts: I’m still Eagles coach - Denies resigning from Nigeria’s job

By Ade Somefun - 25.02.2008

Sultan Ibragimov, of Russia, slips while
fighting Vladimir Klitschko, left, of
Ukraine, during the eighth round of a
boxing match on Sunday at Madison
Square Garden in New York. Klitschko
won the fight by unanmous decision.
AP Photo.GERMAN coach Berti Vogts at the weekend made a dramatic U-turn to deny ever resigning his appointment as the head coach of the Super Eagles.

Vogts had last Wednesday resigned his appointment following the lacklustre performance of the Eagles at the Ghana 2008 Nations Cup, citing, according to his lawyers, “the measures and the behaviour of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), during and after the Nations Cup has led to loss of confidence concerning further cooperation” as the reason for his decision.

However, the former Scotland coach, through his lawyers, wrote to the NFA last Friday denying ever resigning from the job he took last February, insisting that world football-governing body, FIFA would have to decide on his case with the NFA.

Vogts’ Technical Assistant, Emeka Ezeala informed Tribunesports that the German did not resign from the job, adding that his (Vogts’) lawyers had already contacted the world body on the issue.

He revealed that a clause in Vogts’ contract had stipulated that should there be any dispute between the parties, an arbitration panel of FIFA would have to intervene and decide appropriately on the matter.

Speaking on the new development, NFA Chief Media Officer, Ademola Olajire told Tribunesports that the Glass House had not received any letter from Vogts’ lawyers on the latest development.

“As I am speaking to you (Sunday evening) we at the NFA secretariat have not received any letter from Berti Vogts’ lawyers denying that he has resigned his appointment with the NFA,” Olajire told Tribunesports on phone.

When also contacted, chairman of the NFA Technical Committee, Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi, declined to speak on the matter, saying that he was not in Abuja and had not been briefed on the matter by the secretariat yet.