Salisu Yusuf, the coach of Nigeria’s U-23 team, has confirmed that he will stay on as coach despite his team’s failure to qualify for the Olympics. The coach also revealed that he has a contract with the Super Eagles as an assistant coach.

Yusuf’s side suffered a 2-0 defeat to Guinea in the reverse fixture of the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, resulting in their elimination from the Olympic qualifying competition. The defeat means that Nigeria’s U-23 team will not participate in the men’s football event of next year’s Olympics, having failed to qualify.

Despite the setback, Yusuf has brushed aside talks of his sacking, stating that he is fit to continue in his role. The coach reaffirmed his commitment to the team and expressed his belief that they will bounce back from their disappointing outing in the qualifiers.

“I am a coach, and I will always be a coach as long as I am fit to work,” Yusuf said in an interview with SportVilleNaija. “I have a contract with the U-23 team, and I still have a contract with the Super Eagles as an assistant coach.”

Yusuf’s decision to remain as coach of the U-23 team has been welcomed by fans and stakeholders, who believe that the coach has the experience and knowledge to take the team to the next level. Despite their failure to qualify for the Olympics, Nigeria’s U-23 team remains one of the strongest in Africa, with a rich history of success in international competitions.

The team’s next challenge will be to regroup and prepare for the upcoming qualifiers for the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations, which will serve as a pathway to the 2024 Olympics. With Yusuf at the helm, the team will be hoping to redeem themselves and secure their spot in the tournament.

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