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Tag: keshi

  • Kalu: Don’t sack Keshi

    Kalu: Don’t sack Keshi

    • Recommends Emenalo, Okpala as assistants

    As Nigerians wait to see what the future holds for Stephen Keshi, former Abia State governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, yesterday threw his weight behind the coach, asking for a new four -year contract to keep the Big Boss as Super Eagles’ Manager.

    Kalu’s backing comes amid uncertainity over the Eagles’ preparations for the 2015 Nations Cup and is a bold step towards sustaining pressure on the need for continuity.

    He said: “There should be no vacuum. I want the football federation to keep Keshi. He must learn from his mistakes. This is not the time to hire a new coach, rather, Mike Emenalo and Sylvanus Okpala should be engaged to work with him”.

    The ex-governor advised that Keshi’s designation should be changed to accommodate his former team mates so that all tactical deficiencies could be plugged.

    “Keshi could become Technical Adviser. Emenalo takes the position of Chief Coach while Okpala assumes the responsibility of Assistant Coach. That combination would be unbeatable. Emenalo knows so much about modern club football and is tactically sound. Okpala sees a lot from the bench too,” Kalu added.

    Kalu also prayed the NFF to send Keshi to Germany on a three-month refresher course in the bid to take Nigerian soccer to the next level.

    “That is what he needs. The Germans have a lot to offer in terms of modern soccer technology. You saw what their squad did to Brazil.That should be the next destination point,” Kalu offered.

    He also advised Keshi on the way forward. “There should be two standing national teams. One must comprise players from the local league. It does not help a coach when he has to rely entirely on Europe-based footballers to prosecute games. It showed in Brazil. Home-based defenders could have done a better job at the World Cup.”

    Out -of favour striker Ike Uche was not left out.” That was one costly mistake Keshi made. Eagles must be full of players who can score goals. I am sure we have not seen the best of that young man. And Keshi must change his mind. We have not seen the last of Uche. We should start preparing for Russia 2018 now. Time waits for no one,” Kalu summed up.

  • Umeh to block Keshi

    Umeh to block Keshi

    Acting President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mike Umeh insists that Stephen Keshi would be persuaded to stay on as coach of the Super Eagles.

    Keshi’s contract with the NFF lapsed after the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil with reports claiming that the trainer was set to take over as coach of South Africa’s national team, the Bafana Bafana.

    Umeh, who took the reins of the NFF in acting capacity following the impeachment of former president, Aminu Maigari, however believes Keshi would be convinced to stay on as Nigeria head coach.

    “We (NFF) want Keshi to stay. We love him and everyone knows he did a fantastic job with the Super Eagles,” Umeh told supersport.com.

    The NFF chief added that he was “aware” of speculations linking Keshi to the vacant coaching post in South Africa while adding that “no stone will be left unturned” to dissuade Keshi from jumping ship.

    “Well, like other Nigerians, I have heard about the rumours of Keshi taking over the Bafana Bafana but all those stories are rumours as far as I am concerned. We cannot force Keshi to coach Nigeria because as a grown man, we expect him to make independent decisions. But on our part, we will leave no stone  unturned in our desire to keep him here,” he said.

    Keshi took over as Nigeria coach in 2011 taking over from Samson Siasia who was sacked after failing to guide Nigeria to a place at the 2012 AFCON in Gabon and Equatoria Guinea.

    Keshi led Nigeria to AFCON success as well as a place in the second round of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

  • NFF to decide on Keshi – Minister

    NFF to decide on Keshi – Minister

    Nigeria’s sports minister Tammy Danagogo has said only the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) can decide whether or not to give coach Stephen Keshi a new deal.

    Keshi’s contract ended with the recent World Cup in Brazil, where Nigeria reached the last 16 this month.

    “My role (as regards Keshi’s contract) will be advisory. It will be the NFF and the technical committee which will decide on Keshi,” Danagogo said on a radio programme monitored in Abuja Thursday.

    The Super Eagles will resume action with the 2015 African Cup of Nations qualifiers in September.

    AfricanFootball.com had previously reported that ‘Big Boss’ Keshi had demanded for double his five million Naira-a-month salary.

    He also wanted his salaries paid upfront to avoid delays and that he should be allowed to pick his staff.

    This was when he met with the country’s President Goodluck Jonathan on arrival from Brazil 2014.

    The 52-year-old Keshi has also been linked with the vacant coaching post of South Africa. of South Africa.

  • Retain Keshi or employ Michael Emenalo

    Retain Keshi or employ Michael Emenalo

    Former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu has advised the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) to employ Chelsea technical director, Michael Emenalo as Super Eagles coach, should Stephen Keshi eventually quit.

    Kalu said Emenalo remains his preferred replacement for the coveted position, despite reiterating his desire for Keshi to remain in charge of the team against rumours that the Afcon 2013 winner may reject a new contract.

    “We have good coaches in Nigeria, but we need someone who is tactically and technically sound in the knowledge of the game. Keshi’s performance with the national team is outstanding,” Kalu was quoted by Soccer Star.

    “His records speak volumes about what the country has achieved since he began as the head coach.

    “However, Emenalo is undoubtedly a capable replacement should Keshi leave the post. His current position as Chelsea’s sporting director shows his pedigree in the round leather game.

    “If he is not good on the job, he wouldn’t be in Chelsea since 2007,” the 54-year-old concluded.

    Emenalo was a member of the Super Eagles team, captained by Keshi, that played in the country’s first World Cup in 1994.

     

  • Keshi’s future divides NFF

    Keshi’s future divides NFF

    The last is certainly yet to be heard on the contract wrangle between the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and Coach Stephen Keshi as sl10.ng have reliably gathered that the issue is threatening to tear apart the board of NFF.

    The Federation is presently torn against itself on what the next step should be for Keshi, with a good number of the board members insisting that the former Nigeria captain should vacate his post as the Super Eagles coach.

    Sources inside the Glasshouse say that the NFF president, Aminu Maigari and his vice, Mike Umeh are disposed to retaining the services of Keshi, while some other high ranking members of the board would rather see the back of the former Togo coach.

    “The president (Maigari) wants him to stay, they have a cordial relationship and mutual respect for each other. The same also applies to Chief (Umeh), who has a long standing relationship with Keshi, which predates the current working relationship they have, having been the Super Eagles team manager when Keshi was captain of the team at both the ’94 Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup,” a source said.

    Another source, however, reveals that a separate group of high ranking members of the NFF board ‘have had enough of Keshi.’

    It is no news that Keshi has had a running battle with some top shots at the NFF, which culminated in the coach resigning his appointment hours after being only the second person to win the Africa Cup of Nations as a player and as a coach.

    Top officials of the NFF, due to return to the country today from Brazil, have held series of meetings on the issue, with a concrete decision yet to be made.

    Elections into the board of the NFF comes up in August and there is the consideration that allowing Keshi to leave might be a huge PR blunder, and might jeopardize their chances of being re-elected into the board. But those on the board who would rather see Keshi leave are having none of it, and are insisting that they have done well enough over the last four years to keep them in office.

    It is still unclear what decision the NFF will eventually take, but with Keshi seemingly reluctant to stay, the Super Eagles might as well be having a new coach by the time the qualifiers for the 2015 AFCON start.

  • Keshi gives conditions for new contract

    Keshi gives conditions for new contract

    Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi after meeting with the Sports Minister yesterday told Abuja based sports reporters that he won’t accept any new contract from the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) unless it is in consonant with his terms and conditions.

    Speaking as bold and resolute as ever, the history making coach said there are many violated clauses in the initial contract he signed with the NFF and this time around he wants to guard against this.

    “If they agree to my condition, why not? Like I said I have started something here in Nigeria which I would love to finish if everything comes good but if not, I will like to move my trade  somewhere else, It is always a good experience when you go out there and do something different.

    “It is not just South Africa that want me. They are the ones who have gone to the media to make it public, lots of countries want me”.

    “No need to bring in sympathy here, I have served this country very well. It is about professionalism now. I have kids in the university who I have to take care of. Sympathy will not take care of my kids and family,” Keshi stated bluntly.

    The former Super Eagles Captain insisted on new contractual terms and complained bitterly based on the alleged neglect of certain clauses in the intial contract. “The definition of a contract is when two parties talk and agree on what is suitable and not suitable. You cannot just give me an offer and say sign and I will sign, it does not make sense,” Keshi said.

    “Any trip I take to the US to see my family is from my pocket, for a year and a half I have been paying my assistant coach Valeri salary, which is not supposed to be. Silvanus Okpala is not in the team for no reason.

    “If they agree to my condition, why not. Like I said I have started something here in Nigeria which I will love to finish.

    He, however, stated that the choice of where to go in the future will not be any problem as he has lots of offers.

    The former Super Eagles Captain stated that he has been very patriotic and will like to finish what he started by grooming these players for the next two years but that as a professional he does not work with sympathy.

    “No need to bring in sympathy here, I have served this country very well. It is about professionalism now. I have kids in the university who I have to take care of. Sympathy will not take care of my kids and family,” Keshi said.

  • Allen gives Keshi the ‘thumbs up’

    Allen gives Keshi the ‘thumbs up’

    Former 3SC head coach, Festus Allen, believes that Nigeria head coach, Stephen Keshi, deserves commendation for the job he has done with the Super Eagles.

    Allen explained that the two years and seven months period of Keshi as the Nigeria manager has brought about impressive results including winning the Africa Cup of Nations, qualifying for the FIFA World Cup and featuring in the African Nations Championship (Chan) for the first time.

    The one-time ABS FC manager thinks the Super Eagles gave their best at the 2014 FIFA World Cup but feels they failed to reach the last eight since their performance “wasn’t good enough.”

    “The Super Eagles did their best but it wasn’t good enough to see them through to the last eight. For Keshi, his contributions should be commended for taking the Super Eagles this far. Keshi won the Africa Cup of Nations after a 19-year wait.

    “He also qualified Nigeria for a fifth World Cup and also to the Chan for the first time. He used over 88 players during this period though his best may not be enough because expectations are always high from the Nigeria populace,” he told supersport.com.

    He also wants the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to fashion out plans to build on the performance of the Super Eagles at the World Cup.

    Allen said the qualifiers for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations should now take front-burner.

    “As for the NFF, the way forward should be the next line of action now. The Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers are just close by and I’m sure other African countries will be preparing to shock Nigeria because we are now the team to beat. It’s never easy being champions and we must start planning in time for that,” he told supersport.com.

    The African champions, Nigeria, are drawn in Group A of the 2015 Afcon qualification alongside South Africa, Sudan and either Botswana or Guinea-Bissau.

  • Nigeria to offer Keshi improved deal

    Nigeria to offer Keshi improved deal

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) plan to offer coach Stephen Keshi an improved deal that will see him get seven million Naira a month (over $43,000), top officials have exclusively informed AfricanFootball.com

    This plan comes amidst rumours that Keshi has quit his post.

    But AfricanFootball.com has also learnt that the NFF have a plan B to hire a foreign coach to be assisted by a local man and this would be if Keshi turned down the new contract tabled by his employers.

    Keshi himself told AfricanFootball.com that he never resigned, but rather he is now a free agent as his contract ended with the World Cup in Brazil.

    He also said he was yet to be proposed a new contract and should there be one, he would insist on such personal terms like a house and a car.

    “I never resigned because my contract just ended. I will only resign if I have a contract,” Keshi told AfricanFootball.com

    “I was meant to know that I’m still on as long as the World Cup is there. Once the World Cup is over, I’m no more there.

    “No one from the NFF offered me a contract, so what do you want me say? To keep shut? I need to let the world know that I’m a free agent, I can go anywhere until otherwise.”

    Keshi said for a new Nigeria contract, his agreed personal terms will have to be in place, which was not the case for his first stint. “We have to talk on my personal terms or it won’t work because in the first contract of two and a half years, there was no house, no vehicle, there was nothing done.” he said.

    Top official of the League Management Committee, Shehu Dikko, who has been with the Super Eagles in Brazil, told AfricanFootball.com that both the NFF and the coach will soon take a decision on whether or not to extend the contract.

    “If he wants to continue, he has to tell the NFF. If the federation want him to continue, they need to convince him that because he has achieved so much, we want you to stay on,” Dikko told AfricanFootball.com

    “It’s really the vision of the people in charge. They will decide on what they want. But it does not matter because this is a country of 160 million people and there are always other people who could do this job.”

    Keshi is expected back with the team today.

  • Keshi looks forward to Bosnia test

    Keshi looks forward to Bosnia test

    Nigeria’s coach Stephen Keshi has played down the effect of the 0-0 stalemate with Iran in Monday’s game at Curitiba by assuring fans that his team will aim for a win in the next game against Bosnia Herzegovina.

    Keshi was disappointed that his players could not translate their dominance into goals, but noted that it’s not an unusual trend in football for a dominant team to have goal scoring problems.

    “This is football, were you can dominate ball possession but cannot score goals. I don’t know (what went wrong), but that is football,” kickOffNigeria.com quoted Keshi as saying after the match.

    The “Big Boss” however insisted that the players will have to move on from the game against Iran by improving on their performance and go for victory against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Saturday.

    “I wanted a win, but we must take the draw,” Keshi said after the game. “We must do better to get a win against Bosnia,” he added.

  • Africa can win World Cup – Keshi

    Africa can win World Cup – Keshi

    African sides are as good as any at the World Cup and one could end up winning it in Brazil, Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi said on Sunday ahead of his side’s opening group game against Asian giants Iran.

    And if Nigeria get that far, against the current odds, expect at least one reporter to be running for cover.

    “I will love it. I will kiss you all over,” supersport.com quoted the former Nigeria captain as saying at a news conference inside the Baixada arena, where his players kick off their campaign on Monday.

    Nigeria is one of five representatives from the continent competing in Brazil – the others are Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana and Ivory Coast – and face a tough task to get through a Group F that also includes Argentina and Bosnia.

    However, Keshi said his team’s chances should not be underestimated.

    Asked how close he felt Africa was to winning the Cup for the first time, he did not hesitate: “Very close.

    “Because they (the African sides) are good. As good as any other teams that are here. I think this tournament is an open tournament. We just have to do what we have to do,” he continued.

    Ghana’s Black Stars came within a penalty shootout from becoming the first African side to reach the semifinals at the last World Cup in South Africa in 2010 while Nigeria has twice previously reached the second round.

    Cameroon made it to the quarterfinals in 1990 as did Senegal in 2002.

    “This team is growing, it’s like a baby,” Keshi said of his current crop of players, when asked to compare them with his class of World Cup debutants 20 years ago. “This team is just a year and a half-old. The team of 1994 was almost five or six years old.

    “In 1994, the spirit was very high, we didn’t care where the (opposing) team was coming from, we knew we are going to go out there and win the game. Here, we’re building that, we try to bring the same spirit.

    “Once we get the spirit, trust me, it’s going to be two times as strong as 1994.”