Super Eagles gaffer Stephen Keshi has appreciated the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for organising the international friendly match between his team and the Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia.
The match which was played at the Abuja National Stadium on Saturday, ended 2-1 in favour of the Super Eagles.
Keshi, who spoke after the game, said: “I’m very happy with my employers, the NFF for organising the match for us at a very short notice. I really appreciate them. The match has given us the opportunity to take a very close look at our boys in a very serious match situation. You can see that the Ethiopians are a very experienced side. They have been together for long.
“This was exactly the same team that we played at both the African Nations Cup and the World Cup qualifiers last year, and if our three weeks’ team who were playing under various pressures here at home for the first time can hold them, then, we can say we are heading somewhere.”
Continuing, the Big Boss said: “I will say I’m impressed with the performance of our boys. They were playing together for the first time, and playing under pressure to impress me, impress the crowd, impress the media and impress everybody. It should be like that, and we are optimistic that with time we will improve”.
He said that he does not have a team yet, that they are still working towards perfection.
“This is not a team yet, we are still working. I am not going to tell you that we are going to win the African Championship now, because there is no way you can put a winning team together in three weeks. Even if you are a magician, you cannot do it. What you see us play in that match was put together in 24 hours, so we are moving ahead, and there is no cause for alarm,” the former Nigeria international said.
He further revealed that he does not know his starting line up yet, as that would unfold as the championship gets underway.
