24th January, 2014
Chief Coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles has declared that he is not under pressure to beat the Atlas Lions of Morocco in tomorrow’s quarter final match of the African Nations Championship, CHAN, in Cape Town, South Africa.
Keshi said when he was coming to the tournament, the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, did not give him a mandate except his own determination to see that some of the players in the team make the 2014 World Cup.
“There was never any pressure on my team. We just came in here to have fun, for the players to gain experience in playing higher level of football in Africa. We are not under any pressure. They are having fun and that is what I want them to have and enjoy their game as we play Morocco. My aim at this tournament is to have about three or four players make the team to Brazil World Cup,’’ said Keshi who clocked 52 yesterday.
He said the team doctors are working hard to treat injured players before the quarter final match against Morocco on Saturday.
Keshi, who did not predict the outcome of the match against Morocco, said his players would give a good account of themselves. “We will do all we can do to be there till the end of the month when the tournament ends.
“We are working on the injury problems of the team,’’ he said.
Keshi said all the 16 teams that came for the tournament were good, “though some could not make it beyond the first round, that does not make them bad teams.”
Meanwhile, Super Eagles players abroad and in South Africa have been sending messages of goodwill to their mates taking part in the ongoing CHAN with most of them declaring that they believe there will be no stopping the Nigerian side from winning the trophy at stake. Celtic of Scotland defender, Efe Ambrose has been calling every other day to check on the welfare of his mates from team administrator, Dayo Enebi Achor.
“We have players who are experienced enough to win the championship and by God’s grace they will,” he said.
Lazio midfield ace, Ogenyi Onazi called from Italy to wish the team goodluck, saying “at this point there is no stopping our team from winning the championship again.”
Onazi said he has been in constant touch with some of the players in the team and he was certain that they have the right frame of mind to win the tournament.
Central defender, James Okwuosa, who plies his trade in South Africa with Chippa United, physically came to the Eagles’ Garden Court Hotel abode, the third time he was doing so on Thursday morning.
Midfielder John Ogu also called all the way from Portugal where he stars for Academica De Coumbria on Thursday.
“We are so happy with what our mates are doing there in South Africa; they are really making us proud and help to tell them that we are backing them all the way to winning the trophy.
“There is no stopping Nigerian football again; we have come to stay at the very top with Coach Keshi. Happy birthday to the Big Boss,” he said.