by nicegospel Fri Aug 09, 2013 8:33 amSuper Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi has said that he would quit his job should the team lose to Flames of Malawi in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier on September 7 in Calabar and Nigerians request that he leaves.
In an extensive interview with SuperSport, Keshi admitted that he was ready to throw in the towel if it would make the country’s football better. He noted however that such a development would not mean the end of his career.
“If it’s going to make Nigeria to do better, if I leave, why not. Nigeria is not the end of the world to coach or to work as there are a lot of countries out there that looking for coaches so leaving the Nigeria job is not a big deal.
“I came from somewhere so it’s not like I’m going to be here all my life. It’s a privilege that I’m coaching Nigeria, it does not mean that, If I don’t coach Nigeria anymore, then that’s the end of me, no.
Keshi also revealed that estranged Eagles captain Joseph Yobo and teammates Osaze Odemwingie and Victor Anichebe all still have a place in his team.
“I have spoken severally on this (Osaze’s) subject and I am now sounding like a broken record now. I need to have players that want to play for the country, that want to give everything for the country and that’s it, so it’s not about saying I want to come, but how committed are you and how are you ready to go along with the other players?
“Peter is somebody that I admired a long time ago even when I was not a national team coach from far wherever I’m watching the Super Eagles play. He is a very good player and is still going to have his opportunity to come back. That’s for sure. He will have his opportunity to show Nigerians that he is here to serve his fatherland.
“Victor Anichebe is just like any other Nigerian player that we want to see. I want to see him play for Nigeria, but everything depends on him. We made several requests of him. We sent e-mails to the club and the club promised us they will forward it to him.
“There was never a response to that we tried to contact him in person, but it was very difficult. If he will like to play for Nigeria again then I can come over and talk. I discussed this with John Mikel Obi at the Fifa Confederations Cup in Brazil but I’ve not heard anything yet from Mikel; we’ll see how it goes.
“He (Yobo) is still our captain. I can’t feature him right now, because I don’t want to bring him in and keep him on the bench. He has done so well for this country that I will bring him in and put him on the bench, I want to bring him in and start games.
“I have these young fellows (Kenneth Omeruo and Godfrey Oboabona) that are doing so well I cannot bring him back at this moment. Yobo is going to come back to the team. I want to make sure that he gets his hundredth caps. He’s a very good kid of mine. I made him captain in Namibia about 12 years ago, so he is my friend, he’s part of me,” Keshi said.
Keshi also explained what led to the protests over bonuses in Windhoek, Namibia in June.
“The players were asking for their normal winning bonus which wasn’t there. The disagreements started from Kenya (where the Super Eagles defeated the Harambee Stars 1-0 on June 5). After winning in Kenya and after the game in Namibia, they wanted to know what was going on with their bonuses and also get things clarified.
“Two players represented the team, in the meeting to get things sorted out. They were not that satisfied (with the explanations of the officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). So after the game against Namibia, they said they were not going to Brazil.
“It took us all by surprise because after the game, the Ambassador in Namibia gave us a wonderful dinner, everybody was happy and after that the boys said ‘we are not travelling tomorrow if this thing is not resolved’ and that made us to miss our flight.
“We had to stay for another one, two days in Namibia before leaving for Brazil,” Keshi explained.
Keshi also revealed that the Eagles presently lacks a true leader in his mold in his playing days. According to him, there is presently no player in the squad that can command the respect of others enough to lead them like he (Keshi) did with the team in the early ‘90s. He is however confident that such a player would emerge soon.
http://dailyindependentnig.com/2013/08/wcup-qualifier-keshi-to-quit-seagles-job-if/
In an extensive interview with SuperSport, Keshi admitted that he was ready to throw in the towel if it would make the country’s football better. He noted however that such a development would not mean the end of his career.
“If it’s going to make Nigeria to do better, if I leave, why not. Nigeria is not the end of the world to coach or to work as there are a lot of countries out there that looking for coaches so leaving the Nigeria job is not a big deal.
“I came from somewhere so it’s not like I’m going to be here all my life. It’s a privilege that I’m coaching Nigeria, it does not mean that, If I don’t coach Nigeria anymore, then that’s the end of me, no.
Keshi also revealed that estranged Eagles captain Joseph Yobo and teammates Osaze Odemwingie and Victor Anichebe all still have a place in his team.
“I have spoken severally on this (Osaze’s) subject and I am now sounding like a broken record now. I need to have players that want to play for the country, that want to give everything for the country and that’s it, so it’s not about saying I want to come, but how committed are you and how are you ready to go along with the other players?
“Peter is somebody that I admired a long time ago even when I was not a national team coach from far wherever I’m watching the Super Eagles play. He is a very good player and is still going to have his opportunity to come back. That’s for sure. He will have his opportunity to show Nigerians that he is here to serve his fatherland.
“Victor Anichebe is just like any other Nigerian player that we want to see. I want to see him play for Nigeria, but everything depends on him. We made several requests of him. We sent e-mails to the club and the club promised us they will forward it to him.
“There was never a response to that we tried to contact him in person, but it was very difficult. If he will like to play for Nigeria again then I can come over and talk. I discussed this with John Mikel Obi at the Fifa Confederations Cup in Brazil but I’ve not heard anything yet from Mikel; we’ll see how it goes.
“He (Yobo) is still our captain. I can’t feature him right now, because I don’t want to bring him in and keep him on the bench. He has done so well for this country that I will bring him in and put him on the bench, I want to bring him in and start games.
“I have these young fellows (Kenneth Omeruo and Godfrey Oboabona) that are doing so well I cannot bring him back at this moment. Yobo is going to come back to the team. I want to make sure that he gets his hundredth caps. He’s a very good kid of mine. I made him captain in Namibia about 12 years ago, so he is my friend, he’s part of me,” Keshi said.
Keshi also explained what led to the protests over bonuses in Windhoek, Namibia in June.
“The players were asking for their normal winning bonus which wasn’t there. The disagreements started from Kenya (where the Super Eagles defeated the Harambee Stars 1-0 on June 5). After winning in Kenya and after the game in Namibia, they wanted to know what was going on with their bonuses and also get things clarified.
“Two players represented the team, in the meeting to get things sorted out. They were not that satisfied (with the explanations of the officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). So after the game against Namibia, they said they were not going to Brazil.
“It took us all by surprise because after the game, the Ambassador in Namibia gave us a wonderful dinner, everybody was happy and after that the boys said ‘we are not travelling tomorrow if this thing is not resolved’ and that made us to miss our flight.
“We had to stay for another one, two days in Namibia before leaving for Brazil,” Keshi explained.
Keshi also revealed that the Eagles presently lacks a true leader in his mold in his playing days. According to him, there is presently no player in the squad that can command the respect of others enough to lead them like he (Keshi) did with the team in the early ‘90s. He is however confident that such a player would emerge soon.
http://dailyindependentnig.com/2013/08/wcup-qualifier-keshi-to-quit-seagles-job-if/
