The Second Coming of Keshi
Hello everyone, Whao!!! It has been such a long time but it's nice to be doing this again.
At last the circumstances surrounding the appointment of the Super Eagles manager has been resolved. The "Big Boss" Stephen Keshi has surmounted all the odds to be reappointed for the second time after his contract ran out at the end of the Super Eagles World Cup campaign.
Following after that came a barrage of internal crisis that rocked the football administration, tranquillity eventually returned to the Football house after Amaju Pinick (Former Delta State Football Association chairman) was elected as the president of the Football Federation.
The Nigeria Football Federation Executive election normally comes on after the World Cup, and there has been battles for the leadership position of the board dating back to three election periods. The result of the board room politics usually have it's effect on the game. At least, part of the reason why Nigeria failed to qualify for the African Cup of Nations in the Equatorial Guinea could be attributed to the in-house squabbles among the football stakeholders.
There were indications that Amaju Pinick led board were going to part ways with Keshi and it was not surprising after the African Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sudan - Keshi was relieved of his duties and replaced temporarily with Amodu Shaibu. However, he was
re-instated after some intervention from higher authorities and was allowed to finish the qualifiers he started. Nigeria eventually crashed out and since then it has been the waiting game. Series of meeting between the Keshi's camp and the NFF resulted in series of deadlocks due to contractual agreement but eventually a 2 year deal was agreed upon.
Moving on now that Keshi has been reappointed, it's time to get behind him and move the national team forward. Keshi would have to get the ball rolling, the honeymoon period is over and Nigerian football fans would not give him the luxury of time he had in his first spell. He would need to step up his game - at least he has his core players that have been together for quite sometime now. He should also work together with the technical study group selected by the Football Executive .The group is expected to provide behind the scene support such as scouting,match analysis etc. to the Super Eagles (Mens National Team), Super Falcon (Female National Team) and all the cadet team (Both Male and Female).
Stephen Keshi's records and
achievements cannot be overlooked and there is no doubt about that but he would need to correct certain areas that were quite evident in his first tenure.
1. He needs to choose the best players available particularly players in Europe. It does not make sense if certain players in Europe are in form and he decides to go for a player in (with all respect) Vietnam.
2. He needs to betray his loyalty to players that are not in form even if they have been with him from the onset. For example there was no reason why Gabriel Reuben should have been part of the World Cup squad.
3. I will like to see more tactical input from himself and his technical crew - I want to believe the Technical study group would enhance the overall shape of the team.
4. Keshi should work closely with the various cadet coaches (Flying Eagles and Golden Eaglet) in order to have a conveyor belt system of elevating talented players into the senior team.
The football board on the other hand will also have to make the necessary effort to ensure that this marriage works
1. Amaju Pinick led board would have to give him all the necessary support.
2. Stephen Keshi should be allowed to choose his back room staff and players with undue interference from the board.
3 The manager and his crew should be paid their salaries promptly without delays.
The Super Eagles have exciting times ahead of them if all goes well - there are some exciting players coming through the youth ranks - players like Taiwo Awoniyi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Isaac Success, Musa Yahaya e.t.c should be able to join the mix within a year from now. Taiwo Awoniyi in particular has shown great and rapid progress so far. In my opinion he is the best striker since Yekini and probably better. I am of the opinion that he should be fast tracked into the senior team. However, some may argue that he needs to develop, well he featured for Samson Siasia's under 23 team against Zambia and scored 2 goals. Now if you are able to put such a display with the under 23 team, in reality that almost playing in a national team. If you are good enough then you are old enough.
The are also some foreign born who are of Nigerian decent - some of these players have pledged their allegiance to Nigeria. Keshi should invite the likes of Steve Ukoh, Leo Balogun, Kenny Otigba, Jerry Mbakogu and Derrick Osede. The next major assignment comes up in June 2015.
At last the circumstances surrounding the appointment of the Super Eagles manager has been resolved. The "Big Boss" Stephen Keshi has surmounted all the odds to be reappointed for the second time after his contract ran out at the end of the Super Eagles World Cup campaign.
Following after that came a barrage of internal crisis that rocked the football administration, tranquillity eventually returned to the Football house after Amaju Pinick (Former Delta State Football Association chairman) was elected as the president of the Football Federation.
The Nigeria Football Federation Executive election normally comes on after the World Cup, and there has been battles for the leadership position of the board dating back to three election periods. The result of the board room politics usually have it's effect on the game. At least, part of the reason why Nigeria failed to qualify for the African Cup of Nations in the Equatorial Guinea could be attributed to the in-house squabbles among the football stakeholders.
There were indications that Amaju Pinick led board were going to part ways with Keshi and it was not surprising after the African Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sudan - Keshi was relieved of his duties and replaced temporarily with Amodu Shaibu. However, he was
re-instated after some intervention from higher authorities and was allowed to finish the qualifiers he started. Nigeria eventually crashed out and since then it has been the waiting game. Series of meeting between the Keshi's camp and the NFF resulted in series of deadlocks due to contractual agreement but eventually a 2 year deal was agreed upon.
Moving on now that Keshi has been reappointed, it's time to get behind him and move the national team forward. Keshi would have to get the ball rolling, the honeymoon period is over and Nigerian football fans would not give him the luxury of time he had in his first spell. He would need to step up his game - at least he has his core players that have been together for quite sometime now. He should also work together with the technical study group selected by the Football Executive .The group is expected to provide behind the scene support such as scouting,match analysis etc. to the Super Eagles (Mens National Team), Super Falcon (Female National Team) and all the cadet team (Both Male and Female).
 |
| Keshi and Pinnick needs to work together |
achievements cannot be overlooked and there is no doubt about that but he would need to correct certain areas that were quite evident in his first tenure.
1. He needs to choose the best players available particularly players in Europe. It does not make sense if certain players in Europe are in form and he decides to go for a player in (with all respect) Vietnam.
2. He needs to betray his loyalty to players that are not in form even if they have been with him from the onset. For example there was no reason why Gabriel Reuben should have been part of the World Cup squad.
3. I will like to see more tactical input from himself and his technical crew - I want to believe the Technical study group would enhance the overall shape of the team.
4. Keshi should work closely with the various cadet coaches (Flying Eagles and Golden Eaglet) in order to have a conveyor belt system of elevating talented players into the senior team.
The football board on the other hand will also have to make the necessary effort to ensure that this marriage works
1. Amaju Pinick led board would have to give him all the necessary support.
2. Stephen Keshi should be allowed to choose his back room staff and players with undue interference from the board.
3 The manager and his crew should be paid their salaries promptly without delays.
The Super Eagles have exciting times ahead of them if all goes well - there are some exciting players coming through the youth ranks - players like Taiwo Awoniyi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Isaac Success, Musa Yahaya e.t.c should be able to join the mix within a year from now. Taiwo Awoniyi in particular has shown great and rapid progress so far. In my opinion he is the best striker since Yekini and probably better. I am of the opinion that he should be fast tracked into the senior team. However, some may argue that he needs to develop, well he featured for Samson Siasia's under 23 team against Zambia and scored 2 goals. Now if you are able to put such a display with the under 23 team, in reality that almost playing in a national team. If you are good enough then you are old enough.
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| Taiwo Awoniyi |
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| Kenny Otigba - Hereveen FC Holland |
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| Derek Osede Real Madrid |
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| Leon Balogun - Darmsstadt 98 Bundesliga II |
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| Jerry Mbakogu (Carpi FC -promoted to Serie A) |
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| Steve Ukoh Biel Bienne Switzerland |
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