The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Erico

  • Keshi should dump Eagles, says Erico

    Keshi should dump Eagles, says Erico

    Joe Erico, another veteran football coach has said the present predicament of the embattled coach of Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi, was Keshi’s own making.

    The former Super Eagles’ coach who voiced his opinion on megasport, a radio programme has said Keshi should have candidly resigned his position as Super Eagles’ Head Coach after his victorious outing in South Africa 2013, a tournament which brought back Nigeria’s Pride in African football after 19 long years of waiting to emerge as the AFCON Champion.

    In his opinion, Eriko said he would have resigned if he were to be in the ‘Big bosses’ shoes as it is advisable to leave when the ovation is high :

    “ Keshi has stayed too late as far as I am concerned, I was asked this question sometimes ago, that if it was to be Erico ? And I answered that I would have left immediately after the Nations Cup, probably I will extend it to the World Cup, but at the end of the World Cup I would have left. I told Keshi to leave at that time because you have to leave when the ovation is high.”

    When Erico was reminded during the interview that Coach  Keshi was not sticking around on his own, but had the Presidential call and backing, Eriko responded that: “The President is a human being, He will leave there one day, He is serving, Keshi is also serving. If you are satisfied you stay, if you are not satisfied you leave. Keshi has done very very well, He should just leave the stage now as far as I am concerned,” Erico said.

  • Erico: Keshi a patriot

    Erico: Keshi a patriot

    Former Super Eagles assistant coach Joe Erico has described as pure patriotism coach Stephen Keshi’s acceptance to temporarily oversee Nigeria’s 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) double-header against Congo DR and South Africa on September 6 and 10 respectively.

    Re-engagement discussion was still ongoing between the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and representatives of the former Togo coach before the Sports Minister, Tammy Danagogo, stepped in to broker a two-match truce.

    Erico said it must have been the burning desire to serve the ‘fatherland’ that compelled the former Mali coach to take up the assignment of guiding the Afcon champions in these two important matches.

    “Keshi’s act is patriotism at its highest, worthy of commendation. Usually, it’s during a period of national emergency that patriots step out to distinguish themselves from ordinary mortals.

    “We had two Afcon matches right before our noses with no substantive coach in view. Keshi has come to fill the void, here is hoping that the discourse whether or not to re-engage him will be tidied up before the next matches in the Afcon race.

    “This re-engagement talk would be absolutely unnecessary if we had put in place the culture of appreciating our own.

    “Contract talk with a local coach should be a call to service; seamless and straight forward without too much public attention.

    “The NFF knows what is needed and should straight ahead provide the necessary tools for the coach to work with.

    However, Erico is not worried over the Eagles winning one of the two Afcon spots in the group that comprises Congo DR, South Africa and Sudan.

    “We’ll have ourselves to blame if we don’t qualify from the group.We just have to get our act right and treat the qualifiers with some sense of seriousness like we did in the last dispensation. We’ve the material and tools, it’s just for us to put our priorities right,” said the former Iwuanyanwu Nationale coach.

    The 23-man Eagles are expected to reconvene on Monday for the Afcon tie against DR Congo’s Red Devils due for the UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar on September 6.

  • CHAN 2014 TICKET Erico celebrates Nigeria qualification

     •Says “don’t say we managed to qualify’’

    •Tasks team to tidy lose ends

     

    Former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Joe Erico has expressed delight over Nigeria’s qualification for Africa Nations Championship (CHAN).

    Although the Stephen Keshi tutored side failed to find the net in Abidjan, the former NEPA of Lagos safe hand said holding on to avoid conceding beyond two goals was a good enough.

    “Please don’t say we managed to qualify. We qualified that is the main thing. I am happy about that and what need to be done now is to tidy loose ends ahead of the championship proper,” he said.

    Asked to attempt reasons why Eagles who dazed their Ivorian counterparts 4-1 a fortnight ago failed to discover their scoring magic in the Ivorian capital, Erico said it is possible that the team played with a lot of caution.

    “Unfortunately I didn’t watch the match but I think the players may have played with a lot of caution, trying to avoid being booked on one hand and conceding goals on the other “he told SportingLife on phone.

    With Saturday’s result Super Eagles thus advance on 4-3 aggregate. Some however opine that Eagles would have performed better if they had enjoyed the supporters club in their full glory.

    The Nigeria Football Supporters Club arrived Abidjan Saturday morning, after a 12-hour delay in Ghana.

  • Onigbinde, Erico hail Super Eagles’ brilliant start

    Onigbinde, Erico hail Super Eagles’ brilliant start

    Some notable football Stakeholders across the country have commended the Super Eagles for their brilliant opening at the ongoing Confederations Cup tournament in Brazil after their 6-1 victory against Tahiti.

    The stakeholders, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday, urged the team to build on the performance.

    NAN reports that the Super Eagles overwhelmed their Tahitian opponents by a whopping score line to top Group B of the 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil.

    Following their brilliant start, Adegboye Onigbinde, a former Super Eagles Head Coach, charged the team to build on the momentum that their victory had generated.

    “I think we should be happy for the Super Eagles and the Technical crew, but I implore them to build on this. I have always said this that there is no limit when it comes to possibilities; there is always room for improvement and I want to see a better Super Eagles in every match,’’ Onigbinde said.

    In the same vein, Joe Erico– a former Green Eagles goalkeeper– described the match as a good step to greater development. Erico added that the Eagles should put the victory behind them, and face the Uruguayans squarely, because they will be tougher than the Tahitians.

    “Good we won the match and it is a stepping stone to greater achievements as the competitions progresses. The players should put the victory behind them and concentrate on our next match against Uruguay, because it will not be an easy one,’’ Erico said.

    Tayo Balogun, a sports analyst told NAN that the Super Eagles’ performance against the Tahitians was no big deal. He described the match as one between the Super Eagles, playing against a selected set of people who believe they know how to play football.

    “It was good that they won the match and got the required three points to put them in a comfortable place, but their ability is yet to be ascertaineded in the competition. When they meet Uruguay we will be able to affirm their abilities and what they posses as the competition progresses,’’Balogun said.

    Ex-international midfielder, Thompson Oliha, said that the match had proved that the players and technical crew were prepared for the competition. Oliha added that Nigerians should support the team, rather than attacking the players unnecessarily.

    “Such negative talks will dampen their spirit and I want the coach to continually work on the players to ensure that their emotions are intact. When they don’t have things bothering their minds, they will be focused– because the ultimate thing needed in this tournament is concentration,’’ Oliha said.

  • No cause for alarm over Eagles – Erico

    No cause for alarm over Eagles – Erico

    Says players know what is at stake

    Former Super Eagles goalkeeper Joe Erico has dismissed fears in some quarters that Eagles may be boxed into a corner in their World Cup qualifier against Harambee Stars of Kenya today in Nairobi, following their 11th hour arrival for the showdown. He noted that the fears amounted to underrating the ability of the reigning African Champions.

    The Jogo Bonito exponent opined that the technical crew and players know the importance of the match and are bound to do everything to achieve the needed result. He is said it was not out of place for players to travel long distance to honour matches, adding that as professionals they have the capacity to overcome.

    He however admitted that the game will be tough as Kenya have never been a team to be pushed over whether playing at home or away.

    The odds according to him favour the Eagles as the challenge of the Houston friendly against Mexico will serve as a morale booster to go all the way.

    “’The match will be tough no doubt, and that is to be expected but I don’t share the fears that Eagles may not rise to the occasion. In fact I expect the friendly against Mexico in Houston to serve as booster. Tough match yes, but Eagles will win, “he enthused

    Ahead of today’s showdown, some soccer fans in the country had expressed fears that the Eagles who only arrived Nairobi yesterday may find the match extremely difficult citing jet lag as reason. A cross section of fans who spoke to Sportinglife on the issue wondered why plans were made for the team to arrive match venue only 24 hours to kickoff noting that it might affect players output.

  • Erico counsels Keshi on other matches

    Erico counsels Keshi on other matches

    Joe Erico, a former Super Eagles Goalkeeper-Trainer, on Tuesday in Lagos advised Coach Stephen Keshi to strengthen the Eagles with quality wingers, for successful qualification for the 2014 World Cup.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Eagles are in Group F of the African zonal qualifiers, alongside Malawi, Kenya and Namibia, for the 2014 World Cup finals in Rio-de-Janeiro, Brazil.

    Speaking on the backdrop of the Eagles’ performance in the first-leg first round of the qualifiers, Erico told NAN that the Eagles needed quality wingers in the next round. The Eagles drew their first match in the group 1-1 with Malawi, won its second match 1-0 against Namibia and also drew its third match 1-1 with Kenya.

    Erico noted that although the Eagles were still leading the group with five points from three matches, based on high goals advantage, the team needed to fortify its attack with goal getters.

    “The team lacks quality wingers for needed goals. The Eagles would have defeated Kenya’s Harambee Stars, but it lacked gifted left and right wingers for effective finishing. That is why it was difficult for the Keshi boys to penetrate directly into the Harambee’s goal area. The availability of a left winger like Emmanuel Amunike would have provided the possibility for the team to get the much needed goals against Kenya,” he said.

    “Natural wingers are there in our club sides. So, Keshi should look inwards and spot out these naturally-gifted wingers to save us from subsequent embarrassments,” he said.