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Tag: keshi

  • Keshi can recall Osaze, others if he likes – NFF

    Keshi can recall Osaze, others if he likes – NFF

    The leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has given Super Eagles Coach Stephen Keshi the green light to recall players like Osaze Peter Odemwingie, Ikechukwu Uche, Kalu Uche, Victor Anichebe back to the Eagles if he so desire.

    Chairman Technical Committee of the NFF Barrister Christopher Green disclosed this to NationSport from Turkey venue of the ongoing FIFA U- 20 World Cup yesterday.

    “The choice of players to prosecute any Eagles match lies with the Chief Coach of the team, Stephen Keshi. If he decides to bring the said players (Osaze Odemwingie, Joseph Yobo, Ikechukwu Uche and others) back to the he has the right to do so because he is in charge of the team and I don’t think anybody would ask him why. If he brings in any player there is no reason for anybody to question his choice of players.”, Barrister Green disclosed.

    The former Sports Commissioner in Rivers State stated as a matter of fact that Keshi is responsible for the success or otherwise of the team.

    “The Coach has the free hand to recall any player since he is responsible for the success of the team and otherwise. This is our (NFF) philosophy”, Green explained.

    The NFF Board member also advocated for full support for Eagles Coach Stephen Keshi adding that the Eagles’ project is for all Nigerians not only Keshi and the NFF.

    “Like I always say he (Keshi) can also take decisions that is opened to advice from people. So anyone that has advice that could help him should not hesitate to give him. Like I said I also want people to because this projevt is not a personal project but a national project.

    “If we rally round him and eventually qualify for the 2014 World Cup

    and also fair well in the competition will help Nigerian football a lot”, Green observed.

  • NFF to vet Eagles team list

    NFF to vet Eagles team list

    Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Aminu Maigari has said coach Stephen Keshi will no longer be solely responsible for selecting the Super Eagles’ squad.

    Maigari queried Keshi’s selection for the Confederations Cup in Brazil, which Nigeria exited at the group stage, and said he is dissatisfied with the whole arrangement.

    “The Confederations Cup is a big tournament and that’s why the other teams brought their best players,” Maigari told Supersport’s Soccer Africa show.

    “Spain brought their best players, but we did not. Why would you bring a local player to play Spain at such a big stage?

    “No-one has come to tell me who to pick and not to select – if the team fails the coach is responsible ”

    “This is unacceptable. We have experienced players that were not selected and this is where we have to step in.

    ‘The coach should not have the sole responsibility on squad selection. We all have to make inputs. This team belongs to 165 million people.

    “Selections should affect all these people so we cannot continue to let this happen because we need to compete well with others.”

    Maigari received widespread criticism for his revelation that the NFF will interfere with team selection.

    And Keshi has been quick to assert his belief that the NFF will not meddle in team affairs.

    “I understand Nigerians are emotive and sentimental sometimes but all the players that went to Brazil deserved to be there,” Keshi told BBC Sport.

    “I’m the coach and I can honestly listen to constructive ideas on how we can improve as a team.

    “But no-one has come to tell me who to pick and not to select. If the team fails the coach is responsible.

    “As the coach, it’s my decision and responsibility. For now, the local players have earned the rights to be in the team.”

    Back in February, Keshi offered to quit his post just hours after leading Nigeria to their first Africa Cup of Nations crown since 1994, following disputes with the NFF.

    But he made a U-turn after an emergency meeting with Nigeria’s Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi in Johannesburg.

  • Keshi names Agbim, Oboabona, Mba, 21 others for CIV

    Keshi names Agbim, Oboabona, Mba, 21 others for CIV

    Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Stephen Keshi has swiftly turned his attention to the 2014 African Nations Championship qualifying match against Cote d’Ivoire, by calling up 24 home boys for the game billed for the end of next week.

    Even as the African champions were rueing several missed chances in the 3-0 defeat to World and European champions Spain at the FIFA Confederations Cup tournament in Brazil, Keshi pencilled down goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim, defenders Azubuike Egwuekwe, Godfrey

    Oboabona, Solomon Kwambe and Benjamin Francis, midfielders Emeka Eze and Sunday Mba and forward Muhammad Gambo from the squad that were with him in Brazil, and added 14 more from Nigeria’s top flight and two from the lower division.

    Returning are goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, defender Kunle Odunlami and striker Obinna Nwachukwu and Gomo Onduku who were part of the team’s training camp in Germany ahead of the international friendly with Mexico in Texas, USA.

    Defender Chibuzor Okonkwo, who is no stranger to the senior team camp, is joined by familiar faces Umar Zango and Ezekiel Bassey, Ayo Saka and Anthony Okputu.

    Nigeria Professional Football League top scorer Dele Olorundare of Sunshine Stars is joined by former junior international midfielder Olufemi Oladapo.

    New faces are Mohammed Ajia of Bayelsa United, Enyimba FC’s Ifeanyi Edeh, Pius Samson of Ranch Bees, Festus Ajah of Union Bank FC and Warri Wolves’ Etebo Oghene.

    The players are expected to report at the Bolton White Apartments, Abuja on Sunday, 30th June, 2013.

    Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation has announced that the match will be played at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna on Saturday, 6th July.

    “We are happy for the favourable response from the Kaduna State Government, and we have also approached the National Sports Commission for permission to use the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna for the encounter.

    “The grass is excellent and the entire facility is well maintained. The Super Eagles will find the place comfortable,” Barrister Musa Amadu, NFF General Secretary who was in Kaduna on Monday, said.

  • Our strikers let us down – Keshi

    Our strikers let us down – Keshi

    Super Eagles head coach, Stephen Keshi , has launched a thinly-veiled attack on the strikers he picked for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.

    Nigeria crashed out of the competition after a 0-3 defeat to world and European champions, Spain in Fortaleza on Sunday, Supersport.com reports.

    The African champions scored seven goals in the tournament but six of those came against minnows, Tahiti, a side that shipped in 10 goals against Spain and eight against Uruguay.

    Four of the strikers selected by Keshi, Brown Ideye, Anthony Ujah, Joseph Akpala and Gambo Mohammed all failed to score in Brazil despite getting decent game time under their belt.

    After managing just one goal in their final two games against Uruguay and Spain, Keshi declared in a thinly-veiled remark that the strikers he selected for the “tournament of champions” are not good enough.

    “I can’t imagine that my top striker Emmanuel Emenike would miss some of the goals that we missed (at the tournament),” Keshi revealed in an astonishing post-match tirade in Fortaleza on Sunday.

    Nigeria suffered a spate of late withdrawals with several top stars sitting out the tournament due to injuries.

    Keshi believes his side would have performed better in Brazil if the absent players had not pulled out of the squad.

    “Ogenyi Onazi was sorely missed. Victor Moses would have ruined any team here and of course several other players that should have been here could not make it due to injuries. Among them United States-based Bright Dike,” Keshi said.

    Nigeria finished as the fifth best side at the tournament.

     

  • Keshi: My Eagles can shock Spain

    Keshi: My Eagles can shock Spain

    DESPITE being branded the underdogs ahead of their clash against world champions, Spain, Nigeria’s head coach, Stephen Keshi, still believes “anything can happen.”

    Keshi, 51, still fancies his team’s chance of creating an upset in a contest some analysts have branded mission improbable and others have termed impossible.

    “Anything can happen in football, even beating Spain, and that depends on how determined and motivated my team will be during the game,” said Keshi.

    The former Mali and Togo manager has refused to draw comparisons between the Spaniard 1998 team which lost 2-3 to Nigeria in a FIFA World Cup game in France and their present squad.

    Keshi did not mince words in warning that in footballing terms so much has changed between both nations in the last 15 years since Nigeria stunned Spain at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

    “It was another level of football in 1998 and this is different. But anything can still happen,” said the Nigeria manager.

    Nigeria will ride on Lady-luck on Sunday inside the Estadio Castelao in Fortaleza to stun the tiki-taka-playing Spanish national team and hope that Uruguay does not beat Tahiti by more than five goals.

    The Super Eagles still occupy second spot in Group B of the FIFA Confederations Cup behind Spain despite a 1-2 loss to the South American champions, Uruguay, on Thursday.

  • We were beaten, not disgraced — Keshi

    We were beaten, not disgraced — Keshi

    Nigeria’s head coach Stephen Keshi was full of praises for his team in spite of their 1-2 loss to hard-fighting Uruguay on Thursday.

    The match was their second group B match in Salvador, Brazil, at the ongoing 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. Although he lamented the missed scoring chances, he said the Super Eagles were beaten, not disgraced.

    “We gave the game our all but you know Uruguay has been together for six years and we are just rebuilding. Sooner than later, we will catch up with the rest of the best teams in the world,’’ Keshi vowed.

    “I cannot question the loyalty and commitment of the players. They won my heart. I am sure they have done the same to most people who appreciate good football. I am looking forward to our encounter with the world’s best team on Sunday,” he told journalists at a crowded post-match news conference, in reference to Spain.

    Keshi later told the PANA correspondent covering the match that he was aware that his players might have been disappointed by the result of the match. He promised to work hard to lift their spirit ahead of Sunday’s game against world champions Spain, which is bound to arouse global attention.

    Keshi thanked the Brazilian fans for supporting the Super Eagles, Africa’s representatives at the eight-nation tournament, in the match against Uruguay, and expressed the hope that such support would be repeated during Sunday’s game.

    Looking beyond the Confederations Cup, Keshi said the future is bright for the Super Eagles.

    “I will only appeal for co-operation from everyone so that we work together, especially the media, the football federation, fellow coaches, players and fans,” he said.

    Keshi said he has been trying to build a team that will stand the test of time, hence the preference for younger players.

  • Keshi promises ‘high intensity’ game against Uruguay

    Keshi promises ‘high intensity’ game against Uruguay

    Super Eagles Head coach, Stephen Keshi, wants a performance of “greater intensity” when the African champions, take on Uruguay in Thursday’s group B match at the ongoing Confederations Cup in Brazil.

    Nnamdi Oduamadi ‘s hat-trick powered Nigeria to a 6-1 win over Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) representatives, Tahiti on Monday, but the ever-demanding Nigerian public had described the performance against the OFC champions as not good enough.

    Supersport.com reports that Keshi admitted that Monday’s display was not one out of the top drawer and is demanding a better showing from his wards against La Celeste on Thursday.

    “The performance against Tahiti (on Monday) was not as good as the performance we had against Mexico in Houston (a friendly game that ended in a 2-2 draw). Maybe they were thinking Tahiti is not too strong. We have to work on that against Uruguay as we hope to play with greater intensity,” Keshi said.

     

     

  • Eagles must take chances — Keshi

    Eagles must take chances — Keshi

    NIGERIA coach Stephen Keshi has pleaded with his players to be more ruthless in front of goal in the Confederations Cup after a string of missed chances in their 6-1 win over Tahiti.

    Despite the heavy margin of victory on Monday night, the Super Eagles wasted a number of opportunities when one-on-one with the South Pacific islanders’ goalkeeper Xavier Simin.

    The five-goal triumph leaves the African champions top of Group B, however, and Keshi insists that he is pleased with the team’s performance ahead of their game with Uruguay.

    “We had some chances, they needed to bury the goals,” he told reporters after the match. “When you play a game like this you tend to give the opposition team the confidence to come back.

    “They scored their goal and reacted a little bit. I’m happy with how we did and we’ll see how we get on against Uruguay.”

    “(Our performance against Tahiti) was okay but because we didn’t have any idea of them, we did not know what to expect so it was difficult,” Keshi said after the game.

    The Nigeria trainer however admitted that his players didn’t play at their usual tempo in the game.

    “We did not play at our usual tempo. We gave them a chance to come back at us and play in a compact way in the middle,” he said.

    Support in Belo Horizonte was largely in favour of their Oceanic opposition and Nigerian goals were not celebrated with much fervour, but Keshi dismissed this as having an effect on his players at the Mineirao.

    “Most of the supporters are Tahitians or came out to boost their morale which is normal,” he added. “As a professional player you don’t need to worry about that.”

    Following their clash with Uruguay on Thursday, Nigeria will face a final group game against Spain on Sunday.

  • Keshi ‘relieved’ after Tahiti thrashing

    Keshi ‘relieved’ after Tahiti thrashing

    Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi said he was relieved his side had avoided any further injuries after Monday’s thrashing of minnows Tahiti 6-1 in their opening game at the Confederations Cup in Belo Horizonte.

    Forwards Victor Moses, Kalu Uche and Emmanuel Emenike were all ruled out by injury before the tournament, while midfielder Ogenyi Onazi missed Monday’s game with a knee problem.

    MTNFootball.com reports that Keshi hopes the Lazio player will be available for Thursday’s encounter with Uruguay, which is likely to play a significant role in determining whether or not Nigeria progress from Group B.

    “There are no (new) injuries to the players, because I’ve already lost four players,” he said.

    “With all this journey we’ve been having, arriving yesterday (Sunday) morning at four o’clock, I’m just happy there’s no major problems concerning injuries.”

    Nigeria’s preparations were disrupted by a dispute over bonus payments that meant the squad did not arrive until 36 hours before the first game.

    Speaking ahead of the game, Captain Vincent Enyeama had revealed that the disagreement remained unresolved, but Keshi said that was not the case.

    “The issue of the bonuses has been settled. Nothing is holding us back anymore and all we need to do now is play football,” he said.

    Nnamdi Oduamadi, who scored a hat-trick for the African champions at Estadio Mineirao, said the players had put the dispute behind them.

     

     

  • Keshi defends striking players

    Keshi defends striking players

    •Big Boss wants to return to Brazil in 2014

     

    After the Super Eagles embarked on a strike action that threatened the country’s participation at the FIFA Confederations Cup, manager Stephen Keshi has defended his players.

    “I can’t say I’m upset with my players. Their decisions depend on what you are going through. We are here to do our job and make Africa proud. We just have to focus and play our game tomorrow (Monday),” Keshi told TV Globo.

    Keshi has been denied twice the opportunity of leading an African Nation to the premier soccer competition in the world, the FIFA World Cup.

    In 2002, he and Amodu Shuaibu were sacked after the Super Eagles could only manage third position at the African Cup of Nations. That same year, Nigeria participated at her third World Cup but were led to the tournament by Chief Adegboye Onigbinde.

    Then four years later, despite guiding Togo to a historic World Cup qualification, Keshi was relieved of his appointment four months before the start of the tourney after the Hawks failed to progress from the group stages of the 2006 AFCON.

    The ex-New Nigeria Bank libero told reporters: “Togo was not the first country that denied me . Nigeria itself denied me this in 2002. Togo was one more.

    ”Now I can bring my country to this stage of football … this is one of those dreams that have come true. If I can bring Nigeria back here for the World Cup, I’ll be very happy. I still think I’ll get something in football as a coach.”