Head coach of Nigeria’s senior national football team, Stephen Keshi, is already looking beyond Ethiopia as he expressed faith in the ability of his boys winning the World Cup in Brazil next year.
Fielding questions from sportswriters yesterday at Transcorp Hotel Calabar during an interactive session with the press, the Super Eagles coach said with the present crop of players in the team, their determination and fighting spirit, Nigeria was capable of lifting football’s biggest prize.
The team, he noted, has not underrated its opponents in Saturday’s match as it was the last hurdle to hoisting Nigeria’s flag in Brazil. He said that the Ethiopians will be confronted in all departments of the game for its 90 minutes duration.
Keshi said he was grateful to God for using him to raise another formidable national football team for the country and implored Nigerians to pray for the success of the Super Eagles given that football is a unifying factor in the country.
He attributed his success so far to the support he enjoys from his players, assistant coaches and support staff all whom have worked tirelessly to ensure that he becomes Nigeria’s most successful indigenous coach.
“Beyond our match with Ethiopia on Saturday, the Super Eagles can win the Brazil 2014 World Cup. Why not? My brother it is possible, anything is possible in football’’, the coach said.
He revealed the secret of the Super Eagles successes thus: “May be my assistant coaches and I are the best indigenous coaches Nigeria’s football has ever had.
“The real secret for our successes are the players; my coaches; the assistant coaches, these are the ones that plot all the teams that we beat all the time.
“I have great staff. We work together. We share ideas. It is a collective effort; not just me. I thank God that I have this great unique staff that I work with and of course the players because if they do not play well everything boils down to zero,” stressed the Eagles gaffer.
Keshi also saw his success as a result of the discipline in camp. ”The players are not bad. Every human being deserves respect; wants to be appreciated and I think that is what we are sharing between ourselves”, he added.
“I speak with them; they speak with me in an honest way. The line of communication is very open. There is mutual respect in the team. That is the bottom line.
“And of course there should be discipline. If you are not ready to abide by the rules of the game in this team, then you should not be part of this team.
Captain of the team, Vincent Enyeama promised that they would do everything within their power to qualify for the world soccer fiesta in Brazil.
Meanwhile, after a hectic training session which featured all 24 invited players at the U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar yesterday, the coaching crew has decided to have a closed session this evening at the same venue.
Team Coordinator, Emmanuel Attah revealed yesterday that the schedule of the team has reached the crucial bend and it’s about time for fans and the media to be excused from today’s session. Friday Morning training session will be open to the media but it’s expected to be lighter than the others for the good health of the players.
All the three goalkeepers and 21 on field players were in excellent shape and health as Stephen Keshi and his crew showed glimpses of what will be probable and possible squad on Saturday. “Gradually, we are getting to where we want to be and by Saturday hopefully we should be among the 32 nations whose flag will be flown at the Brazil 2014 World Cup”, Keshi declared on Wednesday evening.
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