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THE issue of a technical assistant for the senior national team has been in the news recently, with reports claiming that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has concluded plans to impose a foreign assistant on Super Eagles’ Chief Coach, Stephen Keshi.
The NFF came out on Wednesday to deny planning to employ an assistant for the team, adding that it would do everything possible to ensure that the coach succeeds at the Brazil 2014 World Cup, which holds in June.
Yesterday the man at the centre of the storm came out to state his position on the issue, saying that he has never discussed the employment of an assistant with the federation.
In an interview published by supersport.com, Keshi, who is currently holidaying in the United States, said the NFF President, Aminu Maigari has never agreed for any assistant to be added to his coaching team, “so I am not sure who invents these stories and what their aims are.”
He, however, revealed that he has told the NFF to bring back his former assistants, Sylvanus Okpalla and Andyson Ogugua.
According to Keshi, “I was invited to a meeting where I was asked how the federation can help me in my job to improve things.
“I said I wanted Sylvanus Okpalla back as my assistant and Andyson Ogugua, my video analyst (these two were part of the back room staff that won the African Nations Cup in South Africa last year), but I have not been given an answer regarding when I can have them back.”
Keshi also spoke on his involvement in the just concluded African Nations Championship (CHAN), saying that he never wanted to lead the Eagles to the competition.
“Initially, I was told that the Federation had no money to prosecute the competition so I was not thinking about it. Then later, I was informed that the country will be attending so I suggested that someone else take the team so I can go have a rest and recharge my batteries while planning for the World Cup.
“But I was overruled and so we went. It was not a bad experience and I saw some good play from my players.”
He expressed belief that the team could have done even better if the local league was not on break months before the competition.
“We were unhinged because the local league had ended four months or so before the tournament started and most of the players I used to prosecute the qualifiers had gone abroad. Still I am proud of those that went with us.”
Keshi said his next major ambition was to see that Nigeria performed well at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, adding that the friendly game against Mexico and the international friendly championship in the United States would help the team prepare well for the Mundial.
“The Mexico game is one match I am hoping to use to try a few things with some of the players I have called up. Also, a chance for us to gather again, speak to each other and get the players to remember the challenges at hand,” he added.
On the chances of new players making the World Cup team, Keshi said, “for sure, I have said this over and over again that my team is not yet sorted out.
“However, any player looking in from the outside has to be better than what I currently have. So, when we invite anyone, he must give me that something special to warrant a place in the squad.”
One player Keshi seems to admire is Leyton Orient’s former England youth international, Elliot Omozusi, “I have watched him and I like him as a right back. He has energy to go up and down that flank.
“However, we are working hard to get his clearance from FIFA so he can play for us; if the clearance had come through he would have been available for me to look at him.”
Would it not be better for the Federation to concentrate more on getting the clearance for Omozusi, rather than insist on a foreign assistant for one of Africa’s most successful indigenous coaches.
He responded: “I love coaching Nigeria and I have always been proud to represent my country in any form. So I am not going to let anything distract me from this job, millions of Nigerians appreciate what we are doing, the Federation’s president supports me and the President Goodluck Jonathan too. So I am calm. We move on. Nigeria is bigger than any man, even Stephen Keshi.”
Keshi recently named his squad for the friendly against Mexico, with Super Eagles’ skipper, Joseph Yobo, who has not been invited to the team since Nigeria won the Nations Cup in South Africa, among the invitees.
He explains: “I had told you before that Yobo was a part of this team. That when the time is right, he would make a return. Now Yobo is ready and he is making his comeback.
“There are several players I’m inviting whom I have not seen since last year. There is a need to see them again and know how ready they are and see if the fresh ones can fit in to our plans for the World Cup.”
These players include Israel-based leftback, Juwon Oshaniwa, while uncapped Ramon Azeez, Imoh Ezekiel and Michael Uchebo will get a chance to stake a claim for a place on the final World Cup squad.
