I can’t do without Mikel — Keshi

Nigeria national team coach Stephen Keshi says he still believes that John Obi Mikel is a vital cog in the Super Eagles side, despite the midfielder’s lack of game time at his club, Chelsea. Mikel has not been overly influential during Nigeria’s first two 2015 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying games, which have seen the Super Eagles picking up just a single point from their opening two matches against Congo (2-3) and South Africa (0-0).
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Keshi dumps Eagles, blames referees for ouster by France

• Yobo retires
SUPER Eagles Head Coach, Stephen Keshi, Monday resigned his appointment as the national team coach, blaming official apathy for his decision.
Keshi led Nigeria to a 0-2 defeat by France in the second round of the on-going Brazil 2014 World Cup.
The defeat in Brasila signalled the end of Nigeria’s campaign in the competition.

Speaking shortly after the game, Keshi said it was time for him to quit the job he began in 2011, saying he would go back to the United States (US) to be with his family, as well as reflect on his future.

I selected all players myself—Keshi

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has spoken on the prepared list for the Super Eagles, insisting he was not arm-twisted by members of the Nigeria Football Federation to include or drop any player. The list of the players for the Brazil 2014 World Cup camping is expected to be released today (Tuesday) after the meeting between the NFF Technical Sub-Committee and Keshi in Abuja.

Keshi, who spoke in Abuja on Monday, said he had a free hand from the NFF to select the best players for the World Cup, but he was not averse to taking advice from well-meaning Nigerians on squad composition.

He said, 

“The NFF is our parent body and should be concerned about team composition for the World Cup, because the body is made up of well-meaning Nigerians. But to be honest to Nigerians, nobody in the NFF has come to me to say pick player A or B. They respect my job as the head coach and I respect them as my employers and there is no clash of interest.”

Malawi coach to report Stephen Keshi to FIFA

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

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

Saintfiet told BBC Sport, “It is unacceptable that any person says these words – it is clear racism. “It is 100% sure that my lawyers will lodge a complaint with FIFA.”

Continue After The Break.

Keshi invites 24 home boys, 18 pros for Malawi

Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Stephen Keshi has invited 24 home-based professionals and 18 overseas-based players to camp ahead of next month’s 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying game against Malawi in Calabar.

Only five of the 24 home boys will eventually join the 18 overseas-based stars for the big game, as well as for the international friendly against the Etalons of Burkina Faso in Kaduna on Tuesday, 10th September.

Continue After The Break.

Keshi, I don’t want your job –Oliseh

A former captain of the Super Eagles, Sunday Oliseh, has lashed back at Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi over comments he made against him at the weekend. Oliseh, who responded through his blog, asked Keshi to learn to accept constructive criticism and work with it like managers in Europe do rather than slam any professional that raises any issue about the Eagles.

Last Saturday in Kaduna, Keshi lashed out at Oliseh for saying that there were too many unexposed home-based players in the Confederations Cup team. Oliseh said it affected the team’s performance in the FIFA event.

Writing via his blog on Tuesday, the Belgium-based Atlanta ’96 Olympics gold medalist said, “Keshi is a good coach. In fact he is the most successful coach Nigeria has had in the past decade and by winning the Nations Cup 2013 he boarded the ship of achieving coaches.

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Super Eagles’ Handler: Keshi or foreign coach?

Keshi and Renard

Mixed reactions have continued to trail the Super Eagles of Nigeria early ouster from the ongoing FIFA Confederations Cup in Brasil.
While some described Eagles performance as satisfactory, others say the team is technically bereft and called for injection of foreign coach to restore the lost glory of the national team.

According to a former NFA chairman, Mr Kojo Williams, “I just think that we were technically bereft. I said it before that we needed sound  technical guys to come in and work with our team, because if   we left the job to the present coaches, then we would get more hammering in the future and that was what happened in Brazil.

“Anichebe Has Refused To Talk To Me” – Keshi Reveals Why He Did Not Invite Everton Striker

Super Eagles manager Stephen Keshi, has revealed that Victor Anichebe, has refused to speak with him.
The Everton striker was not listed in the 30-man squad, which will play Nigeria’s summer games, but it is down to Anichebe’s refusal to communicate with officials.

“I made several efforts to discuss with Anichebe but all to no avail and he has even refused to respond to messages left for him on his phone,” Keshi told Complete Sports.

“He has refused to pick my calls or even call me. He has also not responded to messages and calls from the Team Secretary, Dayo Enebi.”

The 25-year old has been in great form for the Toffees and Keshi is eager for him to play for Nigeria, but says that is Anichebe’s decision to make.

He said: “Anichebe is a good player who would add value to the Super Eagles attack. I need him in the team but I cannot force him to play for his country.

“He has to show the zeal to play for Nigeria before we call him to join the Eagles.”

Keshi told us to prove him right – Mba

Warri Wolves striker Sunday Mba says the Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi’s pep  talk with the players before the kick-off the South Africa 2013 Africa Cup of Nations  motivated  the team  to go the extra mile for the trophy.

Many dismissed the Eagles as no-hopers after Keshi named a 23-man squad largely made up of  domestic league and semi-professional players    for the championship.

And Keshi admitted that he had taken a big risk with his decision to exclude the likes of West Brom’s Osaze Odemwingie, on-loan Dynamo Kyiv’s Taye Taiwo,  Levante’s Obafemi Martins and Turkey-based Yussuf Ayila from the squad.

‘Super-Chicken’ Insult Won Us The AFCON Trophy – Keshi

If there’s any group of people a lot Nigerians envy now, it’s the Super Eagles. They’ve been rewarded handsomely for their impressive feat at the 2013 African Cup of Nations, AFCON, and bringing home the trophy. The Super Eagles has however revealed that the team thrived on criticisms and the criticisms motivated them to success.

The Super Eagles were unimpressive in their first two games and were ridiculed by many referring to them as “Super Chicken” while tweets from an account believed to belong to Ivorian defender, Emmanuel Eboue referred to them as “Super Fried Chicken”.

Door still open for Osaze, others —Keshi

Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi has stated that the national team door is still open to the likes of Osaze Odemwingie and Obafemi Martins who were cut from the team on the way to South Africa 2013. Keshi who spoke on Saturday in Lagos (full interview on page 90) reiterated that he only dropped those players because he could not accommodate every good Nigerian player in one competition.

He said, “Unless they don’t want to play for Nigeria anymore, otherwise they have a place in the team. We have a list of 50 players that we are working with. On the list are Osaze (Odemwingie), (Obafemi) Martins, (Victor) Anichebe and many others. At every stage we need them they will join us. We will use every good Nigerian player to make the team better unless the player does not want to play for Nigeria. The door is still very wide open.”

World Cup qualification vital for Nigeria - Keshi

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi says the newly-crowned African champions must ensure that they qualify for the World Cup in Brazil next year.

Keshi, only the second man to lift the Africa Cup of Nations title as a player and coach, is also the first black coach to win the trophy since 1992.

The 51-year-old has already targeted the Confederations Cup in Brazil in June.

Now uppermost in Keshi's mind is to qualify for the 2014 World Cup.

Continue reading the main story After The Break

Keshi’s bumpy ride to glory

Until he helped Nigeria win the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa on Sunday, Stephen Keshi’s achievements for his country in his heyday could hardly be said to have received the deserved recognition.

The 51-year-old blazed a trail in the signing of Nigerians as professional players in Europe when, after  stints with Ivorian clubs Stade d’Abidjan (1985) and Africa Sport (1986), he joined Belgian  side Lokeren in 1987.

Perhaps, Keshi  could have ended his playing career in the domestic league like Nigerian football greats such as   Segun Odegbami, Kadiri Ikhana, Christian Chukwu, Aloysius Atuegbu, Emmanuel Okala, Sunday Eboigbe, Bright Omokaro  and Best Ogedegbe if he had not been suspended by the Tony Ikhazoboh-headed Nigeria Football Association in 1985.

Keshi hopeful about Moses, Emenike

Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi has played down the injury sustained by strikers Victor Moses and Emmanuel Emenike during the second half of the semi-final match against Mali in Durban on Wednesday. Moses was withdrawn early in the half for Ahmed Musa and it was thought that he could have sustained a muscle strain which could keep him out of the Sunday final.

Emenike was also stretchered to the sideline after he appeared to have sustained a muscle cramp while attempting to score. But Keshi said he was hopeful that the duo would feature on Sunday.

Keshi, Yobo disagree over Ballon d’Or

Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi and Nigeria captain Joseph Yobo were part of the process that produced Lionel Messi as the Ballon d’Or winner for a record fourth time on Monday but the two had different opinions on who should be the best player in the world. In the full list of the votes for the award released by FIFA shortly after the event, it was revealed that Keshi voted for African Footballer of the Year, Yaya Toure of Ivory Coast while captain Yobo gave his vote to the eventual winner, Messi.

Osaze wants to be Eagles captain — Keshi

Eagles coach Stephen Keshi has dropped a bombshell by saying Osaze Odemwingie had proposed himself as team captain. Keshi told a stunned Nigeria Football Federation technical committee that the West Bromwich Albion striker put himself forward to be the Eagles skipper. “He told them that he wants to be captain as he considers himself one of the most senior players in the current squad,” an official revealed.

Nations Cup: Osaze blasts Keshi, NFF

West Brom striker Osaze Odemwingie who has been left out of Nigeria’s team to the 2013 Africa Nations Cup has reacted angrily to his exclusion lashing out at Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi and the Nigeria Football Federation. The Nigerian spent time on Sunday on social network Twitter giving his own story and attacking anyone perceived to have played a role in his being cut from the team.