The Nation Newspaper

Tag: keshi

  • Keshi To Eagles: War in Abidjan

    Keshi To Eagles: War in Abidjan

    •Full house in Abuja

    •Echejile visits teammates

     

    Super Eagles boss, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, has demanded total concentration from his players ahead of the final leg of the CHAN qualifier against Cote D’Ivoire in Abdjan on July 27, noting that the match will be like war against the West African neigbhours.

    Speaking before training commenced on Tuesday morning at the FIFA Goal Project site in Abuja, Keshi who started his foreign career in Cote D’ Ivoire, said the people are passionate about football and they will do anything to defeat Nigeria, hence the need to forget the 4-1 win in Kaduna and concentrate on the return leg. “The win in Kaduna is history and if you have been following the media you will see that they have been making remarks that they can also beat us well. We must be ready for their antics and forget the past”.

    The team is training at the Goal Project because the Ivorians had already informed CAF that the return leg will be played on artificial turf. Twenty three players trained on Tuesday morning with only Godfrey Oboabona exempted by the coaching crew because he had had a hectic schedule with his club, Sunshine Stars. He will join his teammates on Wednesday morning, as the players battle for the 20 slots that the coach will take to Abidjan for the match.

    Also on Monday evening, FC Braga of Portugal defence ace, Elderson Echejile, was at the team’s Bolton White Apartment abode to wish his mates and the coaching crew a good outing in Abidjan. Echejile came in at dinner time and went straight to see Keshi, before spending sometimes with most of his mates. “It’s to encourage them to excel when they play the Ivorians and I believe they can defeat them right there in Abdjan”, he said smiling.

  • Mandela Challenge: Keshi drops Anichebe

    Mandela Challenge: Keshi drops Anichebe

    Super Eagles Chief Coach, Stephen Keshi, has left out Everton FC of England player, Victor Anichebe, for the Mandela Invitational Challenge against South Africa on August 14.

    Keshi who has not hidden his desire to have Anichebe, dropped, owing to his failure to establish contact with him.

    “That is the true position. Anichebe was not invited by Keshi. Neither has he spoken to him on his availability for the national team,” a close source revealed.

    But despite the difficulties, Keshi is not thinking of given up. “He knows that Anichebe is not the kind of player that we should lose. That is why he needs the support of his employers to reach out to him,” the source explained.

    In the event that Keshi can’t still speak with the player, would he therefore consider travelling to London?

    ‘’There would be no such thing. We are optimistic that Anichebe would be reached without the coach having to travel to London for any talk. It is only a matter of time,” he said.

    Anichebe last played for Nigeria in 2011 against Madagascar which the Africa champions won 2-0.

  • Keshi engages Shola Ameobi

    Keshi engages Shola Ameobi

    Newcastle United player Shola Ameobi has been asked to persuade his younger brother, Sammy, to play for the Super Eagles now that the former is back to the national team.

    Chief Coach Stephen Keshi, believes Sammy could fit into his rebuilding process notwithstanding his preference for England.

    He is counting on Shola to convince the player to switch allegiance.

    ”’Although Sammy may have his own mind and ambitions, Keshi believes Shola should have great influence on him, being the elder of the two” added the source. ”He must have found out how unhappy Keshi was due to Shola’s abscence in South Africa during the Nations Cup. And now that the issue which prevented him has been sorted out, he now wants to extend an invitation to the younger brother,” said the source.

    “Well, the project is still on but I am quite sure Sammy would listen,” said the source.

    There was a clause in Shola’s contract that prevented from playing at the Africa Cup of Nations,but it has now been expunged. The player made his debut for Nigeria in November 2012 in a friendly against Venezuela.

    In Sammy’s case, he was invited to the Nigeria U-20 national camp by Coach John Obuh in Turkey and appeared in two friendly games against Saudi Arabia and Egypt, but later that year, he joined the England U-21 squad.

    The player, who signed a three-and-a-half year contract extension with Newcastle in 2011, moved to Middlesbrough on loan from Newcastle in February until the end of the 2012/2013 season.

  • CHAN: Keshi invites 24 for Abidjan tie

    CHAN: Keshi invites 24 for Abidjan tie

    Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Stephen Keshi, on Thursday, called 24 players to camp for the CHAN qualifying match against the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire in Abidjan on July 27.

    The New Agency of Nigeria reports that Nigeria defeated Cote d’ Ivoire 4-1 in last weekend tie in Kaduna.

    The Assistant Director (Media) of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ademola Olajire, said in a statement in Abuja that the match was to qualify the team for the tourney slated for South Africa next year.

    He said the 24 players are expected to report in Abuja on July 15, where 20 players would be selected for the July 27 encounter.

    The statement said, “Keshi has invited four new players, including one defender, one midfielder and two strikers, in line with a pledge to inject few new faces, following last Saturday’s opening leg win at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna.

    “They are Kwara United’s former junior international defender Ganiyu Ogungbe, Kano Pillar’s midfielder Rabiu Mohammed, junior international striker Abdullahi Gero of Enugu Rangers and Osadinye Joseph of Warri Wolves.’’

    It added that Sunday Mba, who scored two goals and made two others in the commanding 4-1 win, topped the list that also includes goalkeeper and skipper Chigozie Agbim.”

     

    The full list:

    Goalkeppers: Chigozie Agbim (Enugu Rangers FC); Daniel Akpeyi (Heartland FC)

    Defenders: Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves FC); Godfrey Oboabona (Sunshine Stars FC); Ganiyu Ogungbe (Kwara United FC); Kwambe Solomon (Sunshine Stars FC); Chibuzor Okonkwo (Enugu Rangers FC); Kunle Odunlami (Sunshine Stars FC); Benjamin Francis (Heartland FC); Ezekiel Bassey (Lobi Stars FC).

    Midfielders: Sunday Mba (Enugu Rangers FC); Rabiu Mohammed (Kano Pillars FC); Olufemi Oladapo (Shooting Stars FC); Ayo Saka (Enyimba FC); Mohammed Jiya (Bayelsa United FC).

    Strikers: Muhammad Gambo (Kano Pillars); Gomo Onduku (Bayelsa United FC); Ifeanyi Edeh (Enyimba FC); Ezekiel Mbah (Akwa United FC); Abdullahi Gero (Enugu Rangers FC); Osadinye Joseph (Warri Wolves FC); Haruna Babalo (El-Kanemi Warriors FC); Etebo Oghene (Warri Wolves FC); Dele Olorundare (Sunshine Stars FC).

     

  • Keshi: CHAN, AFCON Elephants are same

    Keshi: CHAN, AFCON Elephants are same

    The home-based Ivorian football team are same in style with the Ivorian Star sturded team.Super Eagles Coach Stephen Keshi has declared.

    Speaking to futaa.com in the aftermath of Saturday’s 4-1 victory over the home based Ivorian national football team, the Big Boss opined that there is barely any difference in style between the team gunning for qualification in the Africa Nations Championships and that which featured at the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa earlier in the year.

    “It’s the same thing. Keshi simply offered when asked if there are marked differences in style between the team he ousted at the 2013 AFCON and the one he defeated in Kaduna.”

    It will be recalled that the Super Eagles sent the star studded Ivorian team packing in the quarter finals of the Nations Cup in South Africa courtesy of a winning strike from Sunday Mba who also played a vital role in the latest victory in Kaduna.

     

  • KESHI UPSET AT CIV GOAL

    KESHI UPSET AT CIV GOAL

    NIGERIA coach Stephen Keshi, was left fuming at the goal conceded by his team in their 4-1 win over Côte d’Ivoire on Saturday.

    Roger Assale cut his way practically unchallenged from wide out to lay a perfect ball on the other wing for Tiecoura Coulibaly to finish, and Keshi could not hide his displeasure at conceding such a goal.

    “I was very pissed about that goal,” he said. “We worked on exactly that kind of play at training of having someone dribble from the wing into the centre and how to keep our shape and prevent it. I can’t understand how we will spend so much time working on something in training, and then when it happens in the match, we concede a goal from it.”

    But the coach was please at the overall performance of his team. “We played good. Côte d’Ivoire are a really strong team and it was not an easy game at all.

    “But we created chances and if our third goal, which was a very good goal, had been allowed it might have been a different story.”

  • Eagles are battle ready — Keshi

    Eagles are battle ready — Keshi

    Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi has declared that his team are prepared for today’s 2014 CHAN qualifier against Cote d’Ivoire.

    Nigeria take on the Elephants in the first leg of a 2014 Championship of African Nations (CHAN) qualifier, which would see the winners after two legs advance to the tournament proper in South Africa next year.

    “We have been working very hard in the last four days. And I am happy that the boys are beginning to understand how we want them to play on Saturday (today). We are battle ready, all we ask is for Nigerians to continue to pray for us,” Keshi stated.

    The Eagles on Thursday had their first training session at the ABS ahead of the game today.

    Meanwhile, Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire hit Kaduna on Thursday afternoon for the match.

    The 26-man Ivorian delegation led by Koffi Roger Yao includes seven other officials and 18 players picked by Coach Norbert Saraka. The Elephants prepared for this game in Ghana.

    The 18-man squad includes Sylvain Gbohouo, Badra Ali Sangare, Tiecoura Coulibaly, Akesse Mathias Kassi and Ange Baresi Gloudoueu.

  • Keshi won’t replace Agbim as captain

    Keshi won’t replace Agbim as captain

    Despite allegations that Super Eagles goalkeeper, Chigozie Agbim was one of the ring leaders that staged a protest against the Nigeria Football Federation, over a bonus cut, Chief Coach, Stephen Keshi has no intention of replacing his captain.

    A member of the technical staff revealed to SportingLife that Agbim would captain Nigeria against Cote D’ Ivoire on Saturday in the first leg of the Africa Nations Championship qualifier.

    “Agbim remains the captain of the home-based professionals. It is a position he has occupied since Keshi took charge. And since Keshi is comfortable with him. l see no reason why he would want to change him,” said the source. 24 players were invited for the match

    Even though, the bonus dispute appears to be over, there are indications that some NFF top guns may not have forgiven the players who instigated their colleagues to reject the 2,500USD bonus for the draw against Namibia in Windhoek.

    “Nobody ever expected the players to behave that way, but we should forget and move on. We have a match this weekend that we must win. Nigeria has never been to Nations Championship, so this is another opportunity,” said the source.

    Saturday’s match will be played at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna and Nigeria will be looking to qualify for the first time, while the Ivorians have played in the last two tournaments reserved for players in the domestic league. Next year’s edition will be held in South Africa

     

  • Operation Beat Cote D’Ivoire:Keshi sure of Eagles

    Operation Beat Cote D’Ivoire:Keshi sure of Eagles

    Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi is confident the home based team will deliver when they face Ivory Coast in a 2014 Championship of African Nations qualifier this weekend.

    The game will be played in Kaduna on Saturday July 6, 2013. The Super Eagles trained twice on Monday and were supervised by Keshi at the training pitch of the Abuja National Stadium.

    Keshi told the players before training commenced that they have a herculean task of becoming the first set of Nigerians to play in the CHAN tournament in South Africa next year if they can surmount the Ivorien hurdle.

    “Let me make it known that i have absolute confidence in you to achieve the feat of defeating Cote D’ Ivoire, but you must have belief in yourself more to achieve the set goal.’’the coach said

  • Keshi fumes: No show for Osaze, others

    Keshi fumes: No show for Osaze, others

    •I didn’t talk to anybody  about their return to Eagles

    •Says playing against Cote d’Ivoire will be tough

     

    Super Eagles’ Chief Coach, Stephen Keshi, has debunked the reports in a section of the media that he has made up his mind to recall runaway Eagles striker Osaze Odemwingie and others like Victor Anichebe, Ikechukwu Uche, Obafemi Martins, Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Obafemi Martins.

    The Eagles gaffer disclosed this to SportingLife during the yesterday morning training session of the team in preparations for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier game against the Elephants of Cote D’Ivoire billed for Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna this Saturday.

    “I didn’t say that. I never said that I am bringing back ant of those names you nave mentioned now (Osaze Odemwingie, Ikechukwu Uche, Obafemi Martins, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Obafemi Martins and Victor Anichebe).

    “The only thing I said about (Victor) Anichebe is that I will try to talk to him again and that is it. We have seen Osaze, Martins and the rest of them yet so what more do you guys want?” he responded to the question of recalling the said Eagles stars.

    Keshi also confessed that the CHAN qualifier against the Ivorians billed for Kaduna won’t be an easy game as Cote d’Ivoire are also blessed with array of home based stars that are also doing well in their local league. He, however, assured that he would do his best with the support of his assistants and soccer loving Nigerians to get a respectable result in the match slated for Saurday.

    “On Saturday, it will be tough because we are playing against Cote d’Ivoire not against Tahiti or Gambia. Cote d’Ivoire has equal potentials back home like Nigeria and top African football playing countries. So it is not going to be an easy game but we hope to have a good score line at the end of the game,” he added.