Chris Maduewesi
Member
Maybe he is the most vilified person on earth at the moment, Stephen Keshi has proven that managing the Super Eagles of Nigeria is about the toughest job in the whole world.
This past week has been about Keshi, well like what is becoming a standard procedure these days, a lot of people bare their fangs on him.
There was an avalanche of criticisms on him this past week, noteworthy it came mainly from the top echelon of football managers in Nigeria.
As was anticipated, failure to qualify Nigeria for the 2015 African Nations Cup has won him more foes who have a formidable armoury, and it is not looking like a situation that he can wriggle out of.
Keshi's problems are well documented and needs no further dilly dallying on. Yet to be offered a new contract, he is waiting for a new deal from the Nigeria Football Federation after being brought back on the orders of President of Goodluck Jonathan in November.
If Keshi had read all that was written about him, maybe there might a lapse in his self-belief as many are calling for his head on a plate.
But being fickle comes with the moment, which leaves one with the question where all the past adulations of Keshi have suddenly go?
Below we have drafted all the quotes attributable to former coaches of the national team who no longer want to see Keshi in the saddle any longer.
*Amodu Shaibu:
The former Super Eagles manager was the first to stoke the fire this week when he took a swipe at Keshi for remaining as Super Eagles coach rather than taking a walk.
"As a coach you are as good as your last game. If as at when they asked me to take over from him and I reckoned that it would affect my reputation if I failed, I expect any professional coach to assume the same position now, which is referring to Keshi.
"So he alone will decide whether he has a reputation or not. If he has a reputation, he should walk out of the job but if he doesn't, he should stay like a beggar," Amodu told SL10.ng earlier in the week.
"We all know that Keshi has failed," Amodu added. "To keep him is a bad precedent because when Siasia failed, we told the whole country that he failed and he should go, and not even Goodluck Jonathan could save him. And so if we want to live within those standards, we know what to do and this is my personal opinion."
* Kashimawo Laloko
If Amodu gave Keshi a below the belt blow, Laloko provided the sucker-punch on his chins
“Keshi has shown he doesn’t have the tactical ability to lead the Super Eagles to success in the future. The manner in which he failed with the team is woeful; he should go,” Laloko told The Punch.
“This should not be seen as a witch-hunt. Every coach that has failed with any team has always been asked to leave. Why should Keshi’s case be different? We need to have another coach so the team can move on. Amodu has said it well, so has Chukwu.
“It doesn’t matter if it was the President that intervened in bringing Keshi back; we shouldn’t allow anyone to force a coach on us. I don’t know who the NFF wants to hire next but I’m convinced we have the best hands in Nigeria that can do the job,” Laloko added.
* Adegboye Onigbinde
On Onigbinde's part, he noted that he had even warned Keshi long before now against assenting to President's Jonathan's request to come back and manage the Super Eagles.
“On the very day the Presidency asked him to return to his job I personally sent him a text message to politely thank Mr President for the offer and bow out honourably and quietly, too," Onigbinde told Supersports.com
“Keshi respectfully replied the text message thanking me and that was it as he went ahead with the two remaining 2015 AFCON qualifying matches against Congo and South Africa, I’m sure the rest is history.
“I volunteered the advice to Keshi because I understand that he won’t work with the Presidency but a different set of people as well as an entirely different environment.
“Now that others have picked up the calls I have the privilege to have said over two months ago I won’t like to engage in an exercise that will appear repetitious so that I won’t be accused of having interest in the whole matter.
“I’m not used to pressurising people to act in certain way, I’ve passed my view directly to him, I don’t need to pressurise him further on same thing.”
*Fanny Amun
Amun on his part, sat on the fence. Rather he canvassed for Daniel Amokachi to take over from Keshi should he eventually leave.
“Amokachi is a respected personality in the team as well having played diligently during his days and been around the team for a while as an assistant Coach and also noted that weeding off completely the makeup of the technical crew of the national team is not always needed”
“As far as I’m concerned, it’s a golden opportunity for him to prove himself as the leader of the team and I wish him all the best” he told footballlive.ng
****
Are you one of the "coaches" who want Keshi out?
This past week has been about Keshi, well like what is becoming a standard procedure these days, a lot of people bare their fangs on him.
There was an avalanche of criticisms on him this past week, noteworthy it came mainly from the top echelon of football managers in Nigeria.
As was anticipated, failure to qualify Nigeria for the 2015 African Nations Cup has won him more foes who have a formidable armoury, and it is not looking like a situation that he can wriggle out of.
Keshi's problems are well documented and needs no further dilly dallying on. Yet to be offered a new contract, he is waiting for a new deal from the Nigeria Football Federation after being brought back on the orders of President of Goodluck Jonathan in November.
If Keshi had read all that was written about him, maybe there might a lapse in his self-belief as many are calling for his head on a plate.
But being fickle comes with the moment, which leaves one with the question where all the past adulations of Keshi have suddenly go?
Below we have drafted all the quotes attributable to former coaches of the national team who no longer want to see Keshi in the saddle any longer.
*Amodu Shaibu:
The former Super Eagles manager was the first to stoke the fire this week when he took a swipe at Keshi for remaining as Super Eagles coach rather than taking a walk.
"As a coach you are as good as your last game. If as at when they asked me to take over from him and I reckoned that it would affect my reputation if I failed, I expect any professional coach to assume the same position now, which is referring to Keshi.
"So he alone will decide whether he has a reputation or not. If he has a reputation, he should walk out of the job but if he doesn't, he should stay like a beggar," Amodu told SL10.ng earlier in the week.
"We all know that Keshi has failed," Amodu added. "To keep him is a bad precedent because when Siasia failed, we told the whole country that he failed and he should go, and not even Goodluck Jonathan could save him. And so if we want to live within those standards, we know what to do and this is my personal opinion."
* Kashimawo Laloko
If Amodu gave Keshi a below the belt blow, Laloko provided the sucker-punch on his chins
“Keshi has shown he doesn’t have the tactical ability to lead the Super Eagles to success in the future. The manner in which he failed with the team is woeful; he should go,” Laloko told The Punch.
“This should not be seen as a witch-hunt. Every coach that has failed with any team has always been asked to leave. Why should Keshi’s case be different? We need to have another coach so the team can move on. Amodu has said it well, so has Chukwu.
“It doesn’t matter if it was the President that intervened in bringing Keshi back; we shouldn’t allow anyone to force a coach on us. I don’t know who the NFF wants to hire next but I’m convinced we have the best hands in Nigeria that can do the job,” Laloko added.
* Adegboye Onigbinde
On Onigbinde's part, he noted that he had even warned Keshi long before now against assenting to President's Jonathan's request to come back and manage the Super Eagles.
“On the very day the Presidency asked him to return to his job I personally sent him a text message to politely thank Mr President for the offer and bow out honourably and quietly, too," Onigbinde told Supersports.com
“Keshi respectfully replied the text message thanking me and that was it as he went ahead with the two remaining 2015 AFCON qualifying matches against Congo and South Africa, I’m sure the rest is history.
“I volunteered the advice to Keshi because I understand that he won’t work with the Presidency but a different set of people as well as an entirely different environment.
“Now that others have picked up the calls I have the privilege to have said over two months ago I won’t like to engage in an exercise that will appear repetitious so that I won’t be accused of having interest in the whole matter.
“I’m not used to pressurising people to act in certain way, I’ve passed my view directly to him, I don’t need to pressurise him further on same thing.”
*Fanny Amun
Amun on his part, sat on the fence. Rather he canvassed for Daniel Amokachi to take over from Keshi should he eventually leave.
“Amokachi is a respected personality in the team as well having played diligently during his days and been around the team for a while as an assistant Coach and also noted that weeding off completely the makeup of the technical crew of the national team is not always needed”
“As far as I’m concerned, it’s a golden opportunity for him to prove himself as the leader of the team and I wish him all the best” he told footballlive.ng
****
Are you one of the "coaches" who want Keshi out?