The Foreign Assistant debate

Keshi’s worst nightmare may simply be beckoning on his horizon as his employers have perhaps found away to engage a foreign assistant for the senior national team’s gaffer irrespective whether he endorses it or not. 

The fears of the Super Eagles Coach are genuine as he may feel whatever successes he may achieve at the World Cup may be taken away from him just like Johannes Bonfere was widely touted as the power behind the success story of the Clemence Westerhof at the 1994 World Cup in the United States of America. 

I have often stated that there are limits to Stephen Keshi’s tactical approach to games since he tool over the national team and almost all our matches irrespective of the positive results we achieve have left me deeply convinced that Keshi needs a game reader, a game analyst, a person who can understand the tactical challenges on the field of play, make instant recommendations to change the fortunes of our team. 

We have seen our team struggle panting, chasing after players with teams formerly regarded as minnows, struggling to win games we should overwhelm and above all, using very funny players who have no business in the national team just because of his show of pride against some of the established players who fortunately today, have vehemently made a bold statement why they should not be overlooked for the trip to Brazil 2014.
The just concluded CHAN 2014 where the Eagles picked up a bronze was a wakeup call for Keshi and the reality check that the World Cup would be no tea party. 

I have often stated that the World Cup this summer and Nigeria’s performance will rest at the feet of the almighty gaffer, basically on the choice of his final selection of a 24 man squad.
There have been reports that Keshi intends to include four home based players to the World Cup which has been widely condemned.
Former NFA President Anthony Kojo Williams was raving mad in his comments about such decision which he described as capable of derailing the fortunes of the team in Brazil as he saw no quality in almost all the players. 
It will be suicidal for Keshi to attempt to “waste” four precious spaces just to give the so called CHAN Eagles an opportunity to tax payers’ funds on the jamboree to Brazil. 

The efforts of Keshi at this moment after the wobbling exercise at  CHAN 2014 is to reflect and identify all our best players for the task ahead at Brazil.
No country going to the World Cup will keep her best players at home even to any extent, an indisciplined player as there are means to resolve such knotty items  except on drug related cases.
That is why I am proud to identify with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for the suggestion to ensure that Keshi gets a good foreign assistant for the team. 

The foreign assistant would not take over Keshi’s job. Keshi still remains the boss as he still has the fear and command of the dressing room. He remains in charge. His opposition to the idea and insisting on a recall of Sylvanus  Okpalla and others holds no water.
They were all together as the team struggled in their games while the partnership was blissful and now, we need a competent game reader that can make our style of play relevant to the World Cup. 

The team needs ideas and Keshi should calmly accept that he needs help to tinker the national team otherwise, despite our seemingly easy group, disaster awaits us and by then every regrets would be belated. I am convinced about all this and that is why he must be told that whatever contributions given to the team must be the overall interests of the country because as we know the power of unity football engages this country remains a milestone.
At the CHAN 2014 against Ghana who were subjected to 10men at about the 70th minute, the home based Eagles failed to make an impact as we eventually lost on penalty kicks. In the third place match still at the CHAN tournament against Zimbabwe despite the red card given to the Warriors in the 17th minute of the first half, the Eagles struggled till three minutes to the end of the game to win the bronze.
Against Mexico in Houston last year, we struggled against a 10 men Mexican side. 

At CHAN 2014, we wobbled all through our games and the quarter final game against Morocco was no victory from Keshi’s tactical input, but the sheer determination of the players to excel to lift the pride of the nation.
At the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013, our first two matches at the group stages exposed the team’s tactical inept vision as we struggled and perhaps, the worst decision keshi has ever made has been to field Chigozie Agbim as the number one shot stopper on the local scene and the termination of the goalkeeper’s contract recently by Rangers Football club further confirms that he was an obvious mistake to be in South Africa. 

Only Stephen Keshi, Daniel Amokachi and Ike Shorunmu the goalkeeper trainer saw his fitness level more than every other Nigerian and that is why we kept conceding silly goals at CHAN 2014. 

The national team is not a camp for mediocre to be called up for experimental purposes. Wearing the national team jersey means you are the best and we don’t expect to sit at home to watch half baked players destroy the hearts and dreams of millions of Nigerians to a coach whose pride and clueless chewing gum eating tactics is clearly increasing the pulse rate of millions of soccer fans. 

Carlos Qnieroz like I stated in an earlier piece travelled to South Africa to watch the Eagles play at CHAN 2014. He is in charge of the Iranian National team, the same group with Nigeria and Bosnia and he may have left with very misleading thoughts of the Eagles from what he saw.
I believe, the NFF must be bold enough to call off Keshi’s bluff and do what they believe is right. Keshi in my esteem view and opinion still remains the boss and the success of the team further boosts his rising profile even as we have learnt he may be taking over the South African National team after the World Cup. 

I believe if he gets to accept the job, he should go for the best assistants, players and welfare for his team, we are mainly concerned on the success story the team has set to achieve rather than the brewing confusion, bravado, senseless distraction a simple suggestion may derail the preparations of the team especially as we prepare to play Mexico early next month.
The scrutiny on the team’s preparations by Nigerians is bound to be intense and if we fail to excel against Mexico, then the path of a thorny walk for Keshi may have just been ushered. 

I can only wish him the best if the NFF bows to his bluff and lets him go ahead without any assistants but the World Cup remains a showpiece, globally acknowledged and it may be another mirror to expose our limitations and hopefully avoiding a possible disastrous outing. Only time will tell.