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Tag: Stephen Keshi

  • Go win CHAN, NFF tells Eagles

    Go win CHAN, NFF tells Eagles

    • Says Nigeria’s World Cup group not light

    Nigeria Football Federation President (NFF) Aminu Maigari has charged Super Eagles Chief Coach Stephen Keshi to do everything humanly possible to win next year’s Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) holding in South Africa.

    The NFF boss, who visited the Minister of Sports yesterday evening in the company of the Federation’s General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu, Director of Technical, Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme and Shehu Dikko, a prominent member of the League Management Committee (LMC) to discuss issues relating to the Globacom Premier League, told SportingLife that Nigerians expect nothing less than bringing the Cup back home.

    “There is no target set for the team as regard the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) but let us just go there (South Africa) and lift the Cup “, he said with laughter.

    Maigari also told whoever cared to listen that Nigeria’s World Cup Group (F) will not be as easy as people were tipping it to be. He said all the 32 countries that qualified for the competition did so on merit and should not be discarded just like that without even kicking the ball.

    “Nobody can take for granted any of the 32 countries that qualified for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. But I am confident that Nigeria will go there to compete, represent the country and also do well in the competition.

    “But people should not take our group (F) for granted. They should not think our group is very light. I don’t agree with that.

    He, however, vowed to ensure the Eagles get the best of preparations to make Nigeria proud in the global football fiesta in Brazil next year.

    “Since the present Board of the NFF took over, we have thrown away what we called short-term preparations. We only believe in long-term preparations, in terms of training, discipline, blending and so many things so that the team get used to one another as well as get the required knowledge and tactical input from their technical crew. We also ensure that every needed thing is put in place and also done properly so that we’ll go to the World Cup and do well.

    “Nigeria is a big football-playing country and we are respected as far as the game is concerned all over the world. We must keep the country’s flag flying at all times, so, we need to prepare this team well for the task ahead and correct all the loop holes and lapses in the team.

    He also used the opportunity to put facts right as regards the final camping of the Eagles for the 2014 World Cup.

    As regards the final camping site for the Eagles for the 2014 World Cup, Maigari said: “We are waiting for action plans from the Coach (Keshi) and the NFF Technical Committee to come out with what they have designed for us to approve or ratify. So, very soon the camp site will be announced”, Maigari assured.

    He was confident as ever as regards the intervention of President Jonathan to help fund the World Cup campaign of the Eagles.

    “Funds will not be an issue, God willing, as far as the 2014 World Cup is concerned. The reason is that President Goodluck Jonathan over time has shown huge interest in Nigerian sports, most especially football. I even read in the dailies him tipping Nigeria to win the 2014 World Cup. So, if our dear President should say so, what fears do we have in terms of not only funds but everything?

    “What I am trying to say is that we don’t have any fears as far as funds are concerned. The Minister of Sports is solidly behind the Nigeria Football Federation and we don’t entertain any fears as regards funding the 2014 World Cup campaign in Brazil”, Maigari assured.

  • Brazil, here we come!

    Brazil, here we come!

    •Nigeria qualifies in style for football’s global showpiece

    The recent qualification of the senior men’s national football team, the Super Eagles, for the forthcoming 2014 World Cup taking place in Brazil next year is a reaffirmation of Nigeria’s often-ignored national qualities of determination, endurance and optimism.

    The country’s journey to Brazil 2014 was by no means an easy one. Having been given a bye in the first round, the country was drawn in Group F in Round 2, where its opponents were Malawi, Kenya and Namibia. Although all are lower-ranked than Nigeria, such is the competitiveness of modern African football that none of them could be written off. In the end, Nigeria won three games and drew three to qualify at the top of the group with 12 points. The next opponents were the Walias of Ethiopia, a team that had attracted much admiration for the fluid cohesion of its play. Over two legs, the Super Eagles triumphed, recording hard-fought victories away and at home, and becoming the first African country to book its ticket to Brazil.

    The bitter disappointment of Nigeria’s non-qualification for Germany 2006 has taught the harsh lesson that World Cup participation is no nation’s birthright, and the seriousness with which the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), Chief Coach Stephen Keshi and the Super Eagles prosecuted the qualification campaign is commendable.

    For once, the NFF ensured that the coach and players got all the logistics and other support that they needed, and made certain that the team was not distracted with unnecessary quarrels over money and other administrative lapses. Coach Keshi was a tower of strength, continually reassuring Nigerians that the team would qualify. The players were models of diligence, confidence and purposefulness. The relative ease with which the country eventually qualified, compared to other African teams, is a tribute to the success of their joint effort.

    Nigeria’s qualification for Brazil 2014 marks its fifth appearance at football’s most prestigious tournament. It will be the second time that the country will be showing up as African champions, the first being its memorable outing in 1994 in the United States. The forthcoming tournament will have special resonance for Nigerian football fans, given Brazil’s widely-accepted status as the spiritual home of the game, as well as the global esteem in which its brand of football is held.

    As is usual, there is pervasive hope that the country will do well at the tournament. As current African champions and an acknowledged continental football power with many professional players plying their trade in some of the world’s most prestigious leagues, and a never-ending production-line of exciting new talent, expectations of a sparkling performance are indeed high.

    However, experience has continually shown how such dreams have often crashed against a harsh reality. In 1994, Nigeria was within minutes of a famous win over the Azurri of Italy when a momentary lapse of concentration enabled the Italians to snatch victory from the jaws of imminent defeat. France ’98 was tainted by infighting and over-confidence which resulted in a scandalous 4-1 drubbing by supposed minnows Denmark. In Korea/Japan 2002, the Super Eagles scored just one goal and were thrown out in the first round. South Africa 2010 was yet another story of underachievement and disappointment.

    To achieve success in Brazil, the Super Eagles must emphasise its strengths and minimise its weaknesses. Prominent among the latter is the disturbing tendency to indulge in debilitating internal strife at the expense of comprehensive preparations. Instead of focusing on the tournament, administrators, the media, coaching staff, players and other critical stakeholders often engage in needless quarrels which conspire to weaken team unity and cripple strategies for success. The situation is worsened by the heavy weight of expectation from the fans who are convinced that the team is condemned to do well.

    If the mistakes of the past are avoided, and the new spirit of focused cooperation continues, Brazil 2014 might well record Nigeria’s finest hour in world football.

     

  • Okocha blasts: Eagles can’t win World Cup

    Okocha blasts: Eagles can’t win World Cup

    Former Nigeria captain Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha talks to KickOffNigeria.com about World Cup qualification and what makes Stephen Keshi so successful.

    HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS WORLD CUP QUALIFICATION FOR NIGERIA?

    I think it is very important. Especially for those in the football business. I think it is a must for us to be there especially when we have five spaces in Africa.

    So I think it is very important for our people because there isn’t much to cheer about now so we have to give them something to cheer about through football.

     

    YOU WERE CAPTAIN OF THE TEAM THAT FAILED TO QUALIFY FOR THE 2006 WORLD CUP. HOW BAD AN EXPERIENCE WAS THAT?

    Very bad. It was like a bad dream. We all felt the impact because it was like everything came to a stalemate. Football is like a religion for us here and for all of us that was a very bad period. And it is not something I would like to wish on the country or the players ever again.

    DID YOU THINK THIS GROUP OF PLAYERS WOULD MAKE IT SO EASILY?

    Well, I don’t think it was easy because we had to fight our way through and whether we like it or not, the team has been growing, they have been improving.

    We have to give them credit. They battled their way to this point. Nobody really thought they would be in this position at this time.

    We were talking about rebuilding and we expected that it would take us many years to get here, but it is to the coaches credit and to the players’ credit that they have delivered beyond expectation.

     

    WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CONFEDERATIONS CUP PERFORMANCE, DO YOU AGREE WITH THOSE WHO SAY THE TEAM NEEDS MORE EXPERIENCE AS THEY RETURN TO BRAZIL?

    I don’t think so.The team was exposed during the Confederations Cup but I think that gave them a lot of experience and something to build on.

    They’ve grown since the Confed Cup because I think they learned a lot of lessons from that tournament and going back to Brazil, I think they will do a lot better. But at the end of the day, it’s up to the coach.

     

    AS A FORMER MIDFIELDER, DO YOU THINK THIS CURRENT MIDFIELD CAN HOLD UP AGAINST THE BEST IN THE WORLD?

    Yes, I think so. If I may be honest, the midfielders that we have now play a bit more collectively. We don’t really have that individual talent that can stand out as an individual player when the going gets tough. But I think they are doing well as a team which is the most important thing because football is a team game.

    But in terms of individual brilliance I don’t think you can compare them to the ‘94 team but as a team I think they are doing very well.

     

    YOU PLAYED WITH STEPHEN KESHI, WHAT IS IT ABOUT HIM THAT HAS MADE HIM SO SUCCESSFUL AS A COACH?

    It’s the passion that he has for football. His attitude and his competitive mentality. He wants to win all the time, and he has impacted that on these players.

    The way he approached games then, always wanting to win every game. I think that’s what he has kept and these players are beginning to understand that too.

     

    YOU HAVE BEEN A FORMER CAPTAIN OF THIS TEAM, SHOULD JOSEPH YOBO RETURN TO THE SQUAD?

    He deserves another chance. If he is still fit, if he is still playing European football with a top side in Turkey.

    I think he deserves a chance, because what makes a team is to have 23 strong players and not 16.

    And whatever issues they have, at this moment it might be the right time to resolve it.

     

    AS A MEMBER OF THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE, HOW IMPORTANT IS YOUR JOB IN HELPING KESHI?

    It’s all about setting up a good platform for the coach to work on. We had issues in the past, but it was a positive fallout because we were demanding for him to do well, which helped him and he delivered.

    He took it in a bad way but for me it was positive pressure, because if he is successful, we are successful and of he’s not doing well, we are also in it. I think it was important for him to understand what the board wanted from him and once he understood that, it was all smiles and everyone is happy.

     

    WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS TEAM AND THE ONE YOU PLAYED IN BETWEEN 1993 AND 1996?

    I would say the only difference is maturity. We had a lot of mature players and a better squad. Because I can say that during that period, we had a team where every player could not go to sleep, you had to be on your toes all the time otherwise somebody would take your place. But now, you can almost predict who will be in the first eleven. I think we had a bit more competition in the team then.

     

    AND HOW FAR DO YOU THINK THIS TEAM CAN GO AT THE WORLD CUP?

    We don’t have to get carried away, we have to set a realistic target for our team.

    We will all be happy to see them win the World Cup but we know that’s almost impossible at this moment.

    We don’t have to set ourselves a target that is almost like mission impossible. So a realistic target should be to qualify from our group even though we don’t know who will be there, then from there anything can happen when we get to the knockout stage.

  • Keshi warns Eagles over World Cup selection

    Keshi warns Eagles over World Cup selection

    Stephen Keshi has warned that no player in the present team has an automatic passage to the World Cup.

    The Super Eagles coach was speaking with the players in London on Tuesday morning, after the 2-2 draw with former World Champions, Italy.

    “It’s time to go back and work hard for our various clubsides and stay healthy, because that will form the basis for invitation when we resume next year.

    “The truth is that not everybody here will go to the World Cup, but that is how football goes, so those who want to be part of the team must remain fit and play regularly for their clubsides,” he admonished.

    At the end of the short address, England-based stars like John Mikel Obi, Shola Ameobi and Victor Moses immediately left for their bases.

    Most of the other players waited to leave the Hilton Cobham abode of the team on Tuesday. Keshi and the home-based players will arrive in Nigeria on Thursday morning.

  • Keshi: Sewnet’s entitled to his opinions

    Keshi: Sewnet’s entitled to his opinions

    SUPER Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi has laughed off claims made by Ethiopia’s coach Sewnet Bishaw that Nigeria qualified to Brazil via the assistance of the match official from Gambia.

    A brilliant free-kick from Victor Obinna Nsofor in the second half and Victor Moses first via the penalty spot saw Nigeria qualify on 4-1 aggregate.

    According to the Big Boss, “As for me, he’s entitled to his own opinions.

    “He’s a good coach and a friend, so making such comments is none of my business.”

  • I’ll recall Yobo after Italy friendly-Keshi

    I’ll recall Yobo after Italy friendly-Keshi

    •Says he was used against me

    Stephen Keshi may have finally succumbed to persistent pressure to recall his captain, Joseph Yobo to the Super Eagles squad.

    The Fernebache defender has not been called up to the national team after the Eagles lifted the 2013 Nations Cup in South Africa but the Big Boss has now revealed that he would extend an invitation to the former Everton strongman after tomorrow’s international friendly against the Azurris of Italy at the Craven Cottage in London.

    Keshi enthused that Yobo has contributed immensely to the progress of the national team for over a decade and should be honoured by allowing to reach a century of caps for the Eagles.

    “Yobo remains an influential member of our team and I really appreciate his contributions.That’s why we have decided to recall him to the squad but that will be after the friendly against Italy,” Keshi said in an exclusive interview with SportingLife in Calabar.

    “I have been saying it repeatedly that Yobo is still part of the Eagles squad until he decides on his own volition to retire from international football.”

    The former Hawks of Togo coach however expressed regrets that Yobo allowed himself to be used by characters who wanted to destablise the team.

    “I didn’t have any problems with Yobo until he made himself available to some characters who were plotting to pull me and the team down,” he added.

  • Keshi happy with BBC award nominations

    Keshi happy with BBC award nominations

    Nigeria head coach, Stephen Keshi, has expressed his excitement about John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses nomination for the 2013 BBC African Footballer of the Year award.

    On Monday, the BBC revealed the shortlist for this year via its Newsday programme.

    The three other shortlisted players are – Jonathan Pitroipa of Burkina Faso, Gabon’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ivory Coast midfielder, Yaya Toure, who made the shortlist for the fifth successive year.

    Keshi, 51, said the nomination of Mikel and Moses shows that the African champions are now competing with the best on the continent.

    He revealed how he spoke to Super Eagles members on resumption as head coach of the team two years ago on worming their ways into winning individual honours while balancing their ethics as team players at the same time.

    “I’m hearing this for the first time. I’ve been busy preparing for the World Cup game against Ethiopia. But I’m happy to hear this and it is pleasant news for the players, the team and the nation. I hope one of them can win it.

    “I must say this is a result of hard work, commitment and open-mindedness to learn and make sacrifices as individuals and as a team. When I became coach of the team I sat down with the boys and made it clear that they have the ability to be rated among the best players in not just Africa but the world.

    “These boys already know much about the game and I’m sure I can’t start teaching like small boys. I try as much as possible to make them feel like they are in a family which is important and it has worked well for us and that’s why we have players being nominated for awards now. But it’s down to the good work of the players, coaches and officials.

    “Now I am confident that we are on the verge of good things to come once we continue with this same pace and I am happy that what we started two years ago is bearing fruits. I hope one of them will win the award this year,” Keshi told supersport.com.

    The 2013 BBC African Footballer of the Year “winner will be decided by African football fans” through a voting process that will run till November 25, according to the BBC.

    Austin Okocha was the last Nigerian to win the BBC award in 2004 after he had won it the previous year.

     

     

  • Keshi names Eagles team against Ethiopia, Italy

    Super Eagles’ chief coach Stephen Keshi has listed Kenneth Omeruo, Reuben Gabriel and 23 others for the team’s preparations for the Nov. 16 return leg clash with Ethiopia.

    This is contained in a statement signed by the Assistant Director (Media) of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Ademola Olajire, released on Sunday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the match is the reverse fixture in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Playoff, with the Eagles holding a first leg 2-1 advantage.

    NAN reports that the Eagles will host the Walyas of Ethiopia at the U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar, after winning 2-1 on Oct. 13 in Addis Ababa.

    The statement said Omeruo, a Chelsea FC defender, and Gabriel of Scottish clubside Kilmarnock FC will report to camp alongside others at the Metropolitan Transcorp Hotel in Calabar on Nov. 11.

    It added that the 25 players will also feature for the team against Italy in a friendly match on Nov. 18 in London.

    The list has three goalkeepers, eight defenders, eight midfielders and six strikers.

    The team’s stand-in skipper, Vincent Enyeama, was invited alongside goalkeepers Austin Ejide and Chigozie Agbim, while South Africa-based defender James Okwuosa also kept his place.

    Strikers Obinna Nsofor and Uche Nwofor also kept their places in the team.

    The full list has goalkeepers Enyeama (Lille FC, France), Ejide (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel) and Agbim (Rangers International).

    It also has defenders Elderson Echiejile (Sporting Braga, Portugal) Benjamin Francis (Heartland FC), Efe Ambrose (Celtic FC, Scotland), Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars) and Godfrey Oboabona (Rizespor FC, Turkey).

    The other defenders invited to camp are Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves), James Okwuosa (Chippa United, South Africa) and Omeruo.

    The midfielders include Mikel Obi (Chelsea FC, England), Victor Moses (Liverpool

    FC, England), John Ogu (Academica de Coimbra, Portugal) and Ogenyi Onazi (SS Lazio, Italy).

    The rest midfielders are Nnamdi Oduamadi (Brescia Calcio 1911, Italy), Nosa Igiebor (Real Betis, Spain), Sunday Mba (Rangers) and Gabriel.

    The strikers include Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia), Brown Ideye (Dynamo Kyiv, Ukraine), Shola Ameobi (Newcastle United, England) and Emmanuel Emenike (Fenerbahce FC, Turkey).

    The other strikers are Obinna Nsofor (Lokomotiv Moscow, Russia), Uche Nwofor (SC Heerenveen, The Netherlands).(NAN)

    – See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/11/omeruo-gabriel-return-keshi-names-25-ethiopia-italy/#sthash.EAuR0aNy.dpuf

  • Malawi coach reports Keshi to FIFA

    Malawi coach reports Keshi to FIFA

    Malawi national coach, Tom Saintfiet who was called  a “white dude” by Super Eagles chief coach, Stephen Keshi has finally reported the matter to the world football governing body (FIFA).

     A response to a mail sent by SportingLife from the organization’s media department on Tuesday acknowledged receipt of the report.  The date it was received was not stated in the mail.

    “We can confirm that we have received a complaint on the said matter,” the mail read.

    FIFA however declined to offer further comments until the matter is finally thrashed.

     

    “But please understand that we cannot comment any further at this stage,” FIFA said.

    Although the matter is being investigated, FIFA may act on it owing to its policy of fairness and fairplay.

     

    SportingLife gathered from an official of the  Nigeria Football Federation that they were awaiting FIFA’s reaction.

     

    “I am very sure that FIFA just got the report since it was last week that the Malawian coach threatened to report Keshi. FIFA will certainly get back to us as the football federation. But like Keshi had said, he meant no harm when he called Saintfiet a “white dude”. As far as he was concerned, it was not a racist attack,” said the official.

     

    Report on BBC Sports says the Africa Cup of Nations winner disagreed with Saintfied over his request that next week’s World Cup qualifier between both countries be moved from Calabar to another venue owing to security reasons.

     

    Keshi followed up his reaction on UK-based African TV show, Vox Africa’s Sports360, by saying: -I think the coach of Malawi is crazy. “If he wants to talk to FIFA, he should go back to Belgium. He is not an African person, he is a white dude, he should go back to Belgium, ‘’ Keshi said.

  • I missed Mikel, Emenike against South Africa – Keshi

    I missed Mikel, Emenike against South Africa – Keshi

    Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi , said he missed the services of midfielder John Obi Mikel and striker Emmanuel Emenike in Nigeria’s 2-0 victory over South Africa at the Nelson Mandela Challenge played on Wednesday.

    The Super Eagles put up a dismal performance in the first half which ended goalless, but improved after the break thanks to the introduction of Victor Moses and Ahmed Musa who brought fresh impetus to the game, futaa.com says.

    Keshi said his decision to replace his forward line at the start of the second half after starting without Moses and Musa was to give other players the chance, and not build the team around a particular player.

    “I missed Mikel, Emenike and Kenneth Omeruo and numerous other players, and my players missed them too but the good thing is that we are not building the team around individual players but rather as a unit.

    “Our team has been evolving for a while. We played with a couple of players who haven’t been with the team for a while like Victor Obinna Nsofor and Shola Ameobi who didn’t quite get into our movements off the ball and on the ball but will be gradually re-integrated as we go on.

    “The South Africans were expecting Musa and Moses in the first half, so I kept them to see how they measured up. They are not here to eat, so I had to put Uche (Nwofor) along with Moses and Musa and they delivered, “futaa.com quoted Keshi as saying to journalists after the match.