11th December, 2012
Super Eagles Chief Coach, Stephen Keshi, who has been on holiday in America, will return to his duty post in Abuja this afternoon to begin his final preparations for the 2013 African Cup of Nations.
Keshi was earlier scheduled to arrive the country last Saturday but shifted his trip till Tuesday due to some logistics.
P.M.NEWS gathered that Keshi departed his base in the US early today, and would land in the country this afternoon. Ben Alaiya, Media Officer of the Eagles confirmed Keshi’s itinenary and disclosed that the coach will meet his employers and settle down for business immediately.
“I can confirm to you that the Super Eagles Coach Stephen Keshi will arrive on Tuesday and meet with the officials of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF. After that, he will commence his preparations for the Nations Cup with the home-based players in Abuja next Monday, 17 December, 2012,” Alaiya said this morning.
The issues to discuss when the ‘Big Boss,’ meets his employers includes the final phase of camping for next year’s Nations Cup.
Alaiya also disclosed that Keshi will make public the list of players that would begin the camping in Abuja ahead of the African football showpiece.
Keshi, it was gathered would drill the home-Eagles for about eight days in Abuja, and pick the lucky players who would join the foreign-based stars at the Faro camp in Portugal for the final phase of camping on 27 December.
Skipper and number one goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, John Mikel Obi of Chelsea, his teammmate at the EPL club, Victor Moses, Ahmed Musa, Ik Uche and other foreign-based players are expected in Portugal on 4 January, 2013 to compete for shirts before Keshi rounds off his training programme for the Nations Cup beginning in South Africa on 19 January.
—Tunde Oyedele