Keshi blasts 'unprofessional' Eagles
Ahmed Musa was second-half sub in Liberia
FIFA clear Raheem Lawal
Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has lashed out at his team for being
“unprofessional” and not fighting enough in Liberia.
The Eagles were held to a 2-2 draw by hosts Liberia in a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Saturday night.
An angry Keshi tore at his players soon after the game inside the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium in Monrovia, saying if they will not do more for their country, they ought to stay away.
“I will appreciate players who stay away and say they cannot make it than for them to come and show Nigerians that we are not serious here,” blasted the Eagles coach.
“With this attitude on the pitch from top professionals who are in this collection, we won’t excel at the Nations Cup, that is what we want to stop.
“I recall that when we thought we were going to play on a synthetic pitch, I called Mikel Obi and he said it’s not healthy for him to play on such a pitch, that is the type of maturity and honesty I want from all national team players.”
He also said he will no longer welcome late comers to his team.
“Any player who cannot make it in time should just stay away, because we need all the time we can get to blend for our games, because the Nations Cup is just around the corner,” he warned.
Meanwhile, the Eagles are expected to resume training camp by the first week of October for the return leg match against Liberia. The match will be played on October 13 in Calabar.
The team arrived Abuja 6:30am local time Sunday after a stop-over in Lagos for refueling the IRS plane that took them to Monrovia.
The Eagles were held to a 2-2 draw by hosts Liberia in a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Saturday night.
An angry Keshi tore at his players soon after the game inside the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium in Monrovia, saying if they will not do more for their country, they ought to stay away.
“I will appreciate players who stay away and say they cannot make it than for them to come and show Nigerians that we are not serious here,” blasted the Eagles coach.
“With this attitude on the pitch from top professionals who are in this collection, we won’t excel at the Nations Cup, that is what we want to stop.
“I recall that when we thought we were going to play on a synthetic pitch, I called Mikel Obi and he said it’s not healthy for him to play on such a pitch, that is the type of maturity and honesty I want from all national team players.”
He also said he will no longer welcome late comers to his team.
“Any player who cannot make it in time should just stay away, because we need all the time we can get to blend for our games, because the Nations Cup is just around the corner,” he warned.
Meanwhile, the Eagles are expected to resume training camp by the first week of October for the return leg match against Liberia. The match will be played on October 13 in Calabar.
The team arrived Abuja 6:30am local time Sunday after a stop-over in Lagos for refueling the IRS plane that took them to Monrovia.
keshi has not done worse than any foreign coach in the past 20 yrs, he has never lost a game with the eagles in Africa, he has my support in full. in 2002 scolari dropped Romario and won world cup for brazil, spain dropped Raul in 2008 and won europe cup and never looked back, even recently Cappello dropped Russian captain Ashavin and won his qualifer comfortably. any coach reserves the right to drop any perceived big player that cannot improve his team nor fit into his pattern. Mikel and Osaze were all there on the pitch in Abuja last year under Siasia when Guinea disgraced us out of last Nations cup, there is no quarantee they ll do better. football is more of team work, not individuals only, Spain did not win last europe cup with their most prolific stricker ever VILLA due to injury, but they still performed, let keshi build a team and lets forget individual sentiments.
kudos to keshi for this comment and damn u pple that blast keshi and back those flop boys
Keshi and Siasia present the same "personality traits" of fighting with key and important players. Coaches with such disposition ALWAYS FAIL in the end.Check out all over the world teams and you will see this is true.
Keshi had issues with Adebayor in Togo and Seidu Keita in Mali. He comes to Nigeria and instantly picks up issues with Mikel Obi and Osaze. Keshi should be DISMISSED now.It is one year he started his RE-BUILDING process but has little to show for it.
I have told you guys supporting Keshi, that he lacks in intelligence and tactics and is doomed to FAIL. Keshi should be dismissed NOW. "A bad workman quarrels about his tools"
My suggestion is that keshi to stop using that lazy goal keeper who stop keeping over one year I see no reason why we continue using Vincent dat cause us malawi game u know every body as his time vincent time is gone look else where for brilliant goal stopper like dat keeper who keep for south african club side. Greg atafier don't allow ayeaman and shorumu put sasa for ur gari
{message}