The Nation Newspaper

Tag: keshi

  • WCQ: Kwambe replaces injured Ogude

    WCQ: Kwambe replaces injured Ogude

    Sunshine Stars defender, Solomon Kwambe, would replace injured Norway-based Fegor Ogude for Nigeria’s World Cup qualifier against Malawi.

    The African champions lead their qualifying group on nine points from five matches and would need only to avoid defeat against second-placed Malawi next week Saturday at home in Calabar to advance to final round of qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

    The Malawians are on seven points, while Namibia has five points and Kenya remains at the bottom with three points.

    Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, specially told MTNFootball.com that Fegor is out of the Calabar clash and would be replaced by Kwambe.

    “Fegor is out of the game against Malawi,” Keshi told MTNFootball.com

    “We were thinking that by now the injury which he sustained in South Africa would have healed, but unfortunately it hasn’t.

    “Sunshine Stars Solomon Kwambe has been drafted as a replacement for Fegor ahead of the Malawi game.”

    The inclusion of Kwambe takes the number of home-based players in the squad for the Malawi game to three following Godfrey Oboabona and Sunday Mba’s move to Turkey and France respectively.

    The players from the domestic league are goal keeper Chigozie Agbim, Azubike Egwuekwe and Solomon Kwambe.

    “You have all the names of the home-based players already, just add it to the invited foreign-based with the exemption Fegor and you have my list for the Malawi game,” Keshi said when asked about his final squad.

     

     

  • Ekoku mystified, disappointed by Keshi’s comments

    Ekoku mystified, disappointed by Keshi’s comments

    Former Super Eagles striker Efan Ekoku has told the BBC he’s “mystified and extremely disappointed” by Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi’s comments towards the Malawi coach Tom Saintfiet.

    Saintfiet is to report Stephen Keshi to FIFA after the Nigeria coach called him “a white dude who should go back to Belgium.”

    The pair have been arguing since Malawi asked FIFA to move next month’s crucial World Cup qualifier from Calabar for safety reasons.

    Ekoku, who played in the same Nigerian Africa Cup of Nations winning squad as Keshi in 1994, has added his voice to the row between Keshi and Saintfiet:

    “I’m mystified. I’m extremely disappointed – a little bit angry as well, that a guy who’s as smart as Stephen is, has been around international football for a long time, has travelled, has played in Belgium, was a very good footballer with a big profile in African football as well – would feel the need to say something like that.”

    Ekoku, speaking on the BBC’s Sportsworld programme, went on to say that Keshi “does shoot from the hip occasionally”

    “He’s been very outspoken, saying there should be a lot more African coaches, home-based coaches who are in charge of their national team.

    “This kind of comment has been brewing for a while, but, as I said, I’m extremely disappointed that he’s chosen to vent his frustration or anger in this way.”

    The controversy comes just two weeks before the crucial World Cup Group F qualifier between the two nations on September 7th in Calabar.

    Saintfiet believes Keshi “is angry because of the request to change the venue”, but the Belgian stands by his feeling that Calabar is unsafe. Ekoku has never been to the venue, and although he doesn’t agree with Keshi’s language, he does have some sympathy with his view of Calabar:

    “Calabar, I know – in the Eastern part of Nigeria – is relatively calm. As far as I’m aware, there haven’t been any disturbances there in the last 25 or 30 years so I can’t see the reasons for the Belgian coach wanting the match to be shifted in the first place. Stephen Keshi is obviously a little bit angry that he’s made this request and he’s decided to respond in that fashion which is unfortunate for everyone concerned with Nigerian football”.

    Ekoku is hoping Nigeria will be able to put this controversy behind them as they bid to reach the World Cup finals in Brazil in 2014:

    “Not to qualify for the World Cup in Brazil next year would be an absolute disaster, and I’m sure it would cost Stephen Keshi his job.

    “Can they go on and perform very well at the World Cup if they qualify? I doubt that the squad is actually that good. I think we’ve had better teams in the past.

    “This one went to the Cup of Nations with reduced expectation and that probably worked in their favour. We’ve had better generations of Nigerian footballers and we’ve not been able to win.

    “This group of players has won something, we have one or two promising guys. I certainly hope that they can improve and we can find ourselves – in terms of consistency – at the top of the continental game for years to come”.

  • I don’t react to speculations – Keshi

    I don’t react to speculations – Keshi

    • Big Boss to submit 23-man list today

    • Home-based Eagles to be trimmed to five

    Nigeria’s senior national team head coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi has chosen to keep silent about media reports that he was indicted by the panel which probed the Super Eagles’ bonus row.

    Eagles’ media officer, Ben Alaiya informed SportingLife that the Big Boss will not react to media speculations when the official findings of the Segun Adeniyi-led panel has not been officially made public.

    The panel, SportingLife gathered, submitted its recommendations yesterday to Sports Minister, Bolaji Abdullahi.

    Alaiya said Keshi will respond as soon as he is properly briefed on the panel’s recommendations and its contents are officially made public.

    “Keshi does not react to media speculations,” Alaiya began. “The Minister (Abdullahi) has received it (the panel’s report) but has the content been made public? The answer is no.

    “Keshi will not stoop so low as to respond to media suggestions but he is focused on the forthcoming World Cup qualifier against the Flames of Malawi,” Alaiya said.

    The Special Assistant to the Minister of Sports on Media, Julius Oguro told SportingLife that the Minister actually collected the panel’s report on Thursday but has not made any official statement.

    Oguro said the Minister will make his statement available to the general public as soon as he finishes studying the report.

    “The Minister received the panel’s report on Thursday but has not said anything on it. He will do so at the right time.

    “He is going through the report and anything that is said on it now will be jumping the gun.

    “The general public will be privy to it but, he (the Minister) must first know what is contained in the document submitted to him first before knowing what to say after due consultations,” Oguro told SportingLife.

    SportingLife recalls that the African Champions almost failed to turn up for the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil in June, after they insisted they be paid more than what the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) planned to pay them for two World Cup qualifiers in Kenya and Namibia.

    Meanwhile, Keshi, who has bowed to pressure from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to have Nigeria’s list of players for the World Cup qualifier versus Malawi reduced, will submit a fresh list to the Football House latest today, a top official has said.

    Keshi on Tuesday caused an uproar in the NFF’s Technical Committee when he called up 42 players for the encounter with Malawi. He was then directed to trim the list.

    Eagles’ media officer, Ben Alaiya explained to SportingLife on telephone that the Big Boss would make a new list public today.

    He revealed that the 18 foreign-based players invited may still all be included while only five players from the domestic league stars may be handed call ups.

    Nigeria needs at least a draw at home to the Flames of Malawi to guarantee a spot at the next stage of the World Cup qualifier. The Eagles are on top with nine points from five games while Malawi are second with seven points from same number of matches. Kenya and Namibia have already been eliminated. They are third and fourth in that order with five and three points each.

  • Battle of Malawi: Big Boss bows

    Battle of Malawi: Big Boss bows

    •Set to prune list to 23

    Against his will,Super Eagles boss,Stephen Keshi has agreed to prune the list of players he invited to camp ahead of the World Cup qualifier against the Flames of Malawi from the supposedly bogus 42 to 23.

    Last Tuesday, the Eagles handler had called up 24 home-based players and 18 foreign based professionals for the encounter which the technical committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) outrightly rejected,directing the coach to reduce the squad to 23 for what they termed better focus.

    Though the Big Boss has expressed shock over the disposition of the committee to his list,an official of the team revealed to SportingLife that the Eagles gaffer has since resigned himself to fate and is already making frantic efforts to comply with his employer’s instruction. Our source disclosed that the the ex-Mali coach was not only shocked about the twist of events but was equally unhappy that he was not allowed to go ahead with his initial plan to invite as much as 24 home based professionals.

    “To tell you the truth, Keshi is not happy that his list has been outrightly rejected by the NFF technical committee. He felt he should have been allowed to implement his programme for the Malawi game” our source who is a key official of the team revealed on telephone from Abuja.

    Considering the fact that the likes of Godfrey Oboabona has already joined a Turkish side, thereby depleting his squad for CHAN, Keshi as it was understood, had wanted to see if he could get capable replacements for some of his players who are already Europe bound.

    The Big Boss also reckoned that playing alongside the foreign based players would further boost the confidence of the home-based lads, especially those that have not tasted regular action with the team.

    “The coach felt he knew what he was doing and should have been left alone but as it is, he has no other option than to reduce the squad and that would be done within the stipulated deadline given to me by the football house.

    “Everybody knows that whatever happens to the team,the coach would be held responsible. If he succeeds, he would take the glory and if he fails, he alone would face the music. That was the more reason why he felt sad but there is really no option left for him because doing anything contrary may be deemed as a distraction.

    “He had wanted the local lads to train and rub shoulders with the foreign based players with the motive of boosting their confidence ahead of CHAN in South Africa early next year. Also, since some of the home based Eagles are moving abroad and the team is depleting, inviting more domestic players would have afforded him the opportunity to see if he could get capable replacement for the likes of Oboabona who used to be an integral member of the team

    “However, since the NFF are his employers, the Big Boss has told his assistants that they are left with no other alternative than to comply and reduce the list to 23 players”

  • Adeniyi Panel to FG: Keshi caused bonus row

    Adeniyi Panel to FG: Keshi caused bonus row

    •Bans cash payment of bonuses; payment now through the bank

    •Abolishes draw bonuses

    •Coaches to be paid lump sum qualification bonuses

    The Segun Adeniyi-led probe panel on the Super Eagles bonus row, has fingered coach Stephen Keshi as part of the embarrassment and said he should be warned.

    “Keshi was part of the problem as regards the bonus saga in Namibia. He stood to lose money if the bonus was slashed as proposed by the NFF and so he needs to be warned about his role in that ugly episode,” a top official told MTNFootball.com.

    The African champions almost failed to turn up for the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil in June, after they insisted they be paid more than what the broke Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) planned to pay them for two World Cup qualifiers in Kenya and Namibia.

    According to MTNFootball.com, the Adeniyi panel have submited the following recomendations-

    1) No more cash payments for match bonuses to the national teams. Players and officials will now be paid through banks.

    2) Draw bonuses should be abolished. Players will only be paid bonuses for winning a game, while participation fees will be paid for all national team engagements.

    3) Coaches will negotiate their bonuses and will henceforth be paid a lump sum as qualification bonuses and not match bonuses. This is to ensure that the coaches are more professional in the discharge of their duties and have set targets to meet.

    4) A code of conduct should be introduced for the national team. A draft of this has been produced by the panel.

    5) The NFF must announce the match bonuses for all their matches at the start of each financial year.

    6) Cash bonuses should be discouraged for the country’s junior teams with the plan for a special pension fund to be opened for these players and such monies paid into such a fund.

    The panel will submit several ground-breaking recommendations to the country’s sports minister in Abuja Thursday afternoon.

  • NFF gives Keshi deadline on reduction of list

    NFF gives Keshi deadline on reduction of list

    •Says he has no option

     The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) don’t look like it is going to wait for an eternity for the Super Eagles’ list for the game against Malawi to be pruned and has therefore given Stephen Keshi till the weekend to come up with a reduced squad for the Calabar encounter.

    Keshi’s list which was released to the media last Tuesday elicited vehement rejection from NFF’s technical committee which considered the list outrageous.

    Commenting on this development, Demola Olajire, the NFF’s Assistant Director, Media told SportingLife on phone that Keshi has been given till the weekend to submit a fresh list for the crucial World Cup qualifier.

    Olajire also allayed fears that the move regarded by a cross section of Nigerians as undue interference could act as a spannner in the wheel of the progress of the team’s preparation for the game, pointing out that what the football house did was in good faith since the ultimate goal was the World Cup ticket.

    “Keshi has no option than to reduce his squad as directed by the NFF and we’ve told him to do so before this weekend,” Olajire stated in the interview.

    “We need to educate Nigerians and put everything in the right perspective because we didn’t tell Keshi the players to invite, we merely told him to reduce the list for better focus. The players he wants to invite is purely his prerogative.

    “We believe the team needs total concentration for the Malawi game and the first list of 43 players which Keshi submitted will not achieve this objective. Rather, it would become a source of distraction and that’s why we have asked him to reduce it”

    Asked to shed more light on whether the technical committee saw the list before it was made public, Olajire replied in the affirmative, revealing that the committee was in a meeting when the list was submitted and mandated him to release it to the media oblivious of the fact that it was bogus.

    “Yes, Keshi sent his list to the technical committee for ratification, which is normally the proceedure but this time around I was asked to release the list to the media before the committee ended its meeting, but that is in the past now. The most important issue now is for him to comply with the directive to enable us work out logistics of camping proper,” he added.

  • Warn Keshi on bonus row – Panel

    Warn Keshi on bonus row – Panel

    Warn Keshi on bonus row – Panel

    A probe panel on the Super Eagles bonus row has fingered coach Stephen Keshi as part of the embarrassment and said he should be warned.

    The African champions almost failed to turn up for the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil in June after the players insisted they be paid more than what the broke Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) planned to pay them for two World Cup qualifiers in Kenya and Namibia.

    “Keshi was part of the problem as regards the bonus saga in Namibia. He stood to lose money if the bonus was slashed as proposed by the NFF and so he needs to be warned about his role in that ugly episode,” a top official told MTNFootball.com

    The panel will submit several ground-breaking recommendations to the country’s sports minister in Abuja Thursday afternoon.

    MTNFootball.com reports that among these recommendations are –

    – No more cash payments for match bonuses to the national teams as has been the case. Players and officials will be paid through their banks.

    – Draw bonuses should be abolished. Players will only be paid bonuses for winning a game, while participation fees will be paid for all national team engagements.

    – Coaches will negotiate their bonuses and will be paid a lump sum as qualification bonuses henceforth and not match bonuses. This is to ensure that the coaches are more professional in the discharge of their duties and have set targets to meet.

     

     

  • Keshi defends Moses, Mikel

    Keshi defends Moses, Mikel

    Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi , is not bothered by the lack of playing time allocated to two of his most trusted stalwarts, Victor Moses and John Obi Mikel at Barclays English Premier League club, Chelsea.

    The duo were left out of Chelsea’s two opening league fixtures against Hull City and Aston Villa.

    Frank Lampard, Ramires, Eden Hazard, Oscar, Juan Mata and Kevin de Bruyne have been the preferred choices in midfield for the Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho in the Blues’ opening two competitive fixtures this term.

    Keshi is however calm about the situation as he insists that “there are no sentiments in issues like these.”

    “I am not in control of what happens at Chelsea. Mourinho is the manager of Chelsea. That’s what I have been trying to let Nigerians know.

    “There are no sentiments in issues like these. For top coaches (like Mourinho), it’s about the team and never about the individuals. If Mourinho feels that Mikel and Moses are not ready to play in the opening games, so be it.,” Keshi exclusively told supersport.com.

    Mourinho declared in July that players, who do not have regular playing time under their belt at their club, could struggle at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil with their respective national teams.

    Keshi has however disclosed that he has no qualms selecting both players to play for the Super Eagles whether or not they enjoy regular game time at Chelsea.

    “(Failure to get regular playing time at Chelsea) does not mean that I will not invite both players to play for Nigeria. The only reasons that will stop me from inviting these players is if they are either injured or not in good shape,” he said.

     

  • WCQ: Keshi explains players’ invitation

    WCQ: Keshi explains players’ invitation

    … Foreign-based players get Sept. 2 deadline

    Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi, has explained the rationale behind the invitation of 24 home-based professionals when only five of them will eventually join the 18 overseas-based stars for the game against Malawi, as well as the international friendly against the Etalons of Burkina Faso in Kaduna on September 10.

    “The Big Boss” is already planning ahead as he said the exercise will allow him discover more players for next year’s Africa Nations Championships (CHAN) to be staged in South Africa; a place that is fast becoming a good hunting ground for the Eagles’ gaffer.

    “We are calling up 24 home boys in order to identify new players for the 2014 African Nations Championship, for which we have already qualified, said Keshi.

    The home based Eagles secured a berth in CHAN 2014 after defeating Ivory Coast 4-3 on aggregate last month.

    Meanwhile, Keshi has given a September 2 deadline for the invited Europe-based players to arrive camp for the match against the Malawians.

    The 18 foreign-based players are expected to hit Calabar before the deadline. On their part, all the 24 home boys are expected at the Bolton White Apartments, Abuja on 24 August or risk missing out on the chance to fight for one of the five slots allocated to local stars in the double header and more importantly miss out on the chance to impress the technical crew ahead of CHAN.

     

  • Keshi stops experimenting

    Keshi stops experimenting

    • Says only outstanding overseas-based players can come

    • Camping for Malawi match begins Aug. 25 in Abuja

    • Euro stars expected Sept. 1

    Super Eagles Chief Coach Stephen Keshi told SportingLife exclusively yesterday that the days of experimenting with players playing in the domestic league are over.

    The Big Boss said he has seen what he wants from the home front and now wants to concentrate on moulding the team.

    Keshi on Wednesday led the Eagles to a heartwarming 2-0 victory against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in the Nelson Mandela Challenge at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban.

    The former Togo gaffer told SportingLife that only overseas-based players with special qualities will get a look-in for now, since he has given enough time and opportunity to the Glo Professional Football League stars.

    Soccer pundits have been wondering when the re-building process of the Super Eagles under Stephen Keshi would be over, but the Eagles coach said: “We are still searching for good players.

    “If we see one or two good players that can break into the line-up, we will bring such players into the main squad.

    “But it is not going to be a local player (from the Glo League). We don’t need that for now.”

    “We want only players that will contribute something better than what we have seen from the present squad of the Eagles.

    “Honestly speaking, that is the way things are for now,” the Eagles handler disclosed.

    He also revealed the programme of the team for the all-important 2014 World Cup qualifying match against the visiting Malawi national team slated for September 7, 2013 in Calabar.

    “For the Malawi match, we expect the Europe-based players to arrive in camp at least a week (September 1st, 2013) to the match as being stipulated by FIFA, while the home-based players will be in camp two weeks to the match (August 25th, 2013).