Sports
Keshi Dumps Nigeria?
Stephen Keshi has ap
peared to rule himself out of a return as Nigeria coach after losing patience with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Keshi’s contract expired on 30 June, shortly after he led Nigeria to the last 16 at the World Cup, and he had been negotiating a new deal.
He told Tidesports source: “Talks over a new contract shouldn’t drag on. I can’t wait any more – the NFF is not serious.
“I have moved on. I can only wish the country well for the future.”
“I’ve had about seven countries approach me in the last two months but I kept them all away”
Stephen Keshi
Talks had been ongoing since July but a series of delays caused by problems within the federation, including the sacking and the Fifa-ordered reinstatement of the governing body’s president Aminu Maigari.
“There’s a game in two weeks [Nations Cup qualifier against Congo] but no-one is thinking about it and at the same time they expect you to win,” Kehsi continued.
“I understand the ongoing crisis facing the federation but the national team should not suffer from such at this crucial stage.
“Sadly, I also think attention is focused more on the upcoming NFF elections and the national team is simply not a priority.”
The NFF officials are understood to have offered Keshi a new four-year deal and same N5 million a-month salary he was paid in his first stint as manager, while the coach had asked for an increase.
Keshi says he has rejected offers from other African countries while the negotiations have been going on.
“I’ve had about seven countries approach me in the last two months but I kept them all away,” he added.
“I love my country and I am aware of the dream our fans had of me taking this team to the next level.
“While acknowledging the efforts of some people involved in the negotiation, I think others probably have other important things to do.”
Nigeria has already named a 23-man squad for their upcoming qualifiers against Congo on 6 September and South Africa four days later.
The defending champions will also face Sudan in Group A with the top two advancing to January’s finals in Morocco.
A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.
Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.
“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”
He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.
“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”
“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.
“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.
Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.
The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.
“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.
“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.
Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.
She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.
“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.
The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.
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