Keshi, be man enough to recall 'Big Boys'
Mikel was axed by Keshi for June qualifiers for not picking his calls
Sone Aluko hails Keshi
Stephen Keshi has shown courage to pick players from the Nigeria
Premier League, but going forward now he must also be man enough to recall some
of the team’s top stars, writes Samm Audu.
Keshi is the ‘Big Boss’ and so he must put aside his own ego to manage the egos of Mikel Obi, Osaze Odemwingie, Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Taye Taiwo.
This month, Keshi’s new team of players mostly from the NPL displayed commitment against Namibia, Malawi and Rwanda.
He has given these players self belief and a good sense of belonging as well as brought competition to his team.
But the Eagles are still desperately in need of more quality and experience for the business end of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers as well as the continuation of the 2014 World Cup qualifying tournament.
To begin with, the quality of the opposition will be better than the likes of Rwanda and Malawi in the final round of the 2013 AFCON qualifiers to be played between September and October.
Nigeria will be drawn against one of the finalists from the 2012 AFCON in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea over two legs with the overall winners booking their passage to the tournament proper to be staged in South Africa in January.
For the much-trumpeted rebuilding of the Super Eagles, it is crucial that the team are at the Nations Cup because that would further assist the process as Keshi would have at least a month to blend his team into a more cohesive unit.
And after the tournament, the 2014 World Cup qualifying series will continue with a home tie against Kenya in March.
‘Big Boss’ Keshi himself has admitted his team remain a work in progress.
The attack has not been clinical in front of goal and the midfield still has yet to boss the opposition.
The defence has held out by posting two clean sheets, but then those were achieved at home against Namibia, who played very defensively and so did not bother the Eagles back four, and Rwanda.
The Eagles coach has worked with players from the domestic league for about seven months now and the result is that he could boast of at least half a dozen discoveries in his starting XI.
Kano Pillars defensive midfielder Gabriel Reuben and Sunshine Stars skipper Godfrey Oboabona have stood out from Keshi’s gamble with the NPL stars.
Besides his goal in Malawi, Reuben has been a Trojan in the engine room, while Oboabona has been effective at the problematic right fullback position.
Skipper Joseph Yobo will return to add more stability to the backline, while Onyekachi Apam from French club Rennes ought to be reconsidered to challenge Efe Ambrose.
However, the Eagles midfield still lacks creativity.
Raheem Lawal would be an obvious choice to bring creative juice in the middle of the park, but he has so far started from the bench all three Eagles caps.
And his situation has not been helped by the fact that he failed to join the squad in time as he was processing his work permit at his Spanish base.
Inter Milan ace Joel Obi will be another likely central midfielder, if he regains his fitness.
Chelsea star Mikel Obi will have to return to the fold after he was overlooked for this month’s matches, but we all know he will not be a creative option in midfield.
In attack, Keshi has played with two wingers in his first three competitive games – Victor Moses and Ahmed Musa on the right with Ejike Uzoenyi on the left.
Torino left winger Nnamdi Oduamadi would be an option to battle Uzoenyi on the left, while Chinedu Obasi ought to be considered either wide on the right side of attack or as a support striker.
Ike Uche has once again proved to be the team’s leading marksman on current form as he fired two goals in three matches.
But who should play alongside the Spain-based striker after John Utaka failed to grab his second chance?
Osaze Odemwingie, Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Ike Uche’s brother Kalu would have to be recalled by Keshi.
All said, the fans are yet to be convinced that Keshi is the right man to lead Nigeria and this was underlined by the fact that at the weekend several thousands of fans stayed away from the 12,000-capacity UJ Eseune Stadium in Calabar for the Rwanda game.
Keshi is the ‘Big Boss’ and so he must put aside his own ego to manage the egos of Mikel Obi, Osaze Odemwingie, Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Taye Taiwo.
This month, Keshi’s new team of players mostly from the NPL displayed commitment against Namibia, Malawi and Rwanda.
He has given these players self belief and a good sense of belonging as well as brought competition to his team.
But the Eagles are still desperately in need of more quality and experience for the business end of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers as well as the continuation of the 2014 World Cup qualifying tournament.
To begin with, the quality of the opposition will be better than the likes of Rwanda and Malawi in the final round of the 2013 AFCON qualifiers to be played between September and October.
Nigeria will be drawn against one of the finalists from the 2012 AFCON in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea over two legs with the overall winners booking their passage to the tournament proper to be staged in South Africa in January.
For the much-trumpeted rebuilding of the Super Eagles, it is crucial that the team are at the Nations Cup because that would further assist the process as Keshi would have at least a month to blend his team into a more cohesive unit.
And after the tournament, the 2014 World Cup qualifying series will continue with a home tie against Kenya in March.
‘Big Boss’ Keshi himself has admitted his team remain a work in progress.
The attack has not been clinical in front of goal and the midfield still has yet to boss the opposition.
The defence has held out by posting two clean sheets, but then those were achieved at home against Namibia, who played very defensively and so did not bother the Eagles back four, and Rwanda.
The Eagles coach has worked with players from the domestic league for about seven months now and the result is that he could boast of at least half a dozen discoveries in his starting XI.
Kano Pillars defensive midfielder Gabriel Reuben and Sunshine Stars skipper Godfrey Oboabona have stood out from Keshi’s gamble with the NPL stars.
Besides his goal in Malawi, Reuben has been a Trojan in the engine room, while Oboabona has been effective at the problematic right fullback position.
Skipper Joseph Yobo will return to add more stability to the backline, while Onyekachi Apam from French club Rennes ought to be reconsidered to challenge Efe Ambrose.
However, the Eagles midfield still lacks creativity.
Raheem Lawal would be an obvious choice to bring creative juice in the middle of the park, but he has so far started from the bench all three Eagles caps.
And his situation has not been helped by the fact that he failed to join the squad in time as he was processing his work permit at his Spanish base.
Inter Milan ace Joel Obi will be another likely central midfielder, if he regains his fitness.
Chelsea star Mikel Obi will have to return to the fold after he was overlooked for this month’s matches, but we all know he will not be a creative option in midfield.
In attack, Keshi has played with two wingers in his first three competitive games – Victor Moses and Ahmed Musa on the right with Ejike Uzoenyi on the left.
Torino left winger Nnamdi Oduamadi would be an option to battle Uzoenyi on the left, while Chinedu Obasi ought to be considered either wide on the right side of attack or as a support striker.
Ike Uche has once again proved to be the team’s leading marksman on current form as he fired two goals in three matches.
But who should play alongside the Spain-based striker after John Utaka failed to grab his second chance?
Osaze Odemwingie, Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Ike Uche’s brother Kalu would have to be recalled by Keshi.
All said, the fans are yet to be convinced that Keshi is the right man to lead Nigeria and this was underlined by the fact that at the weekend several thousands of fans stayed away from the 12,000-capacity UJ Eseune Stadium in Calabar for the Rwanda game.
@BJWISE
Once again you are too REACTIONARY........."we must end the era of going down on our kneels to beg players like Mikel, Oasze, Taiwo and Yakubu, who bizarrely are mediocres in their respective clubs in Europe" ..........this you wrote.Well you are very WRONG.
Know it today and always, that in all human endeavours of life, specially endowed persons are treated differently, because they are very talented. Even Keshi enjoyed SPECIAL STATUS while he played(FIND OUT) and you can see other smart Coaches continue to manage the "odd behaviour" of their special players...ala Barlotelli in Italy etc.
So Keshi must not be NARCISSISTIC and suppress the roles of these talented Nigerian footballers.And truly, he will be a FAILED Coach if he is unable to temper these players into the team...Period
You seem to have misconstrued the crux of my argument. I didn't debate the competence of Coach Keshi and neither have I made reference to Coach Shuaibu's antecedents. All I said and 'am still saying is that "we must end the era of going down on our kneels to beg players like Mikel, Oasze, Taiwo and Yakubu, who bizarrely are mediocres in their respective clubs in Europe. These guys have won us nothing for over a decade now, yet we still clamour for them. What we want is a change and we won't achieve it, if we don't rise up for what is right. Look at Spain, Brazil, Germany and Ghana- They play with passion for their countries, love their Jersey and crave to honour their father land, but here, our players are puffed up. Come on, see the brighter picture. We have over 180 million Nigerians on planet earth and Mikel, Yakubu or what have you are just one out a whole lot....
@BJWISE
The article is SPOT-ON, so learn to LIVE with it. Keshi will not be in charge for the world cup if he fails to plan according to the direction of the article.Remember that Shaibu Amodu had a team that was winning but lacked conviction, in the way they played to achieve this......and he got booted out.
Keshi's team is in the same mould of Amodu's and Keshi will be dropped soon, after which he may never get a major coaching contract again, because he will be so vilified.
You must accept that Keshi is not a very strategic person of high IQ and suffers from inferiority complex in regard to prominent players..eg Adebayo in Togo,Keita in Mali.
Its all explained by Stephen Keshi's QUALITY OF EDUCATION & SPATIAL AWARENESS. Amodu and Siasia suffered the same HANDICAPS because they were very narcissistic. A warning is enough for the wise.
I can't believe that this piece of obnoxious and insensitive piece of article came from MTN Football. I implore you guys to remove this myopic, sponsored and provocative article now before you hurt the sensibilities of Nigerians. How dare you talk about "Keshi" this way? "Be man enough" and recall the "Big......... mediocres"! Mikel, Osaze, Taiwo and even Yakubu for hellsake were called big bois-I'd rather call them big rats, who should be ashamed to be called Nigerians. And for you guys at MTN Football, in as much as Nigerians love what you are doing, we will not tolerate any attempt to unduly heat uo the sport environment with any sentimental write-ups. Keshi should be praised, and Mikel, Osaze and Taiwo should beg to dorn the National team jersey. Yakubu can take his leave because he is well past his prime. Please be guided!
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