Uganda's national soccer team coach Bobby Williamson has fired back at Stephen Keshi, coach of the Nigeria national soccer team over the coach's racial remarks that foreign coaches troop to Africa for the attractive pay that is involved and not really to train the players to attain their goals, and commitment to national duty, on the basis African coaches are equal to the task and could do better.
In what has been taken as racist comments, Keshi said "the white guys are coming to Africa just for the money. They are not doing anything that we cannot do. I am not racist, but that's just the way it is."
Uganda did not qualify for the South African finals due to begin on Saturday, January 19, 2013. Dismissing Keshi's racial slurs, Williamson, originally from Scotland and firing back at Keshi said:
“I never came here for the money. I came here for the job, for a new experience and a new working place. I’ve never regretted it. When I first came here, the money I was being paid was just enough to pay the mortgage. It has improved because I have been relatively successful; at the regional African Cecafa tournaments and I’ve also get close to qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations. We are all professionals, if he [Keshi] could get a better job in Europe and earn better money, then I’m sure he would be off like a shot. It’s just like most African players who are playing in Britain: they’re not just there for the love of football, they are there to make money.”
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