Learn From Chipolopolo’s Victory, Nigerians Advise Keshi

Nigeria’s Super Eagles coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, has been advised to learn a football lesson from the title triumph of the Zambian Chipolopolo at the just concluded 2012 Orange Africa Cup of Nations.

Zambia beat tournament favourite, Ivory Coast, by 8-7 in a penalty shootout to win the African Nations Cup for the first time, after they could only finish as runner-up in 1974 and 1994, and became the first southern African country to win the biennial continental championship since South Africa in 1996.

Speaking on lessons to be learnt from the coach Herve Renard-led Chipolopolo’s unexpected achievement, former Super Eagles Coach, chief Adegboye Onigbinde, said Keshi needs to learn that with adequate preparation and planning, there is no limit to a team’s success.

Onigbinde said: “The Zambian team have proved to us that when you plan ahead of tourneys you will ultimately get a good results. I think Keshi needs to learn from it and continue to follow his plans, both short and long term, for the national team.”

Former spokesperson of Nigeria Football Association, NFA, Austin Mgbolu, on his own assessment said: “With the title triumph of the Chipolopolo in Gabon, it has shown that with enough resilience, determination and ruggedness, any team can beat the so-called big teams in African football. We (the Super Eagles) need to learn a lesson from it if we hope to lift the trophy anytime soon.”

—Bamidele Olowosagba