Ex-Eagles Manager Prays Keshi To break His AFCON Silver Medal Feat

CAF/FIFA Technical Advisor, Adegboye Onigbinde has declared that Super Eagles 4-1 thrashing of Mali in yesterday’s AFCON semi final which qualified Nigeria for the final of the 2013 Nations Cup is a clear vindication of his confidence in the coaching ability and technical savvy of coach Stephen Keshi.

“When we conducted interview for the then vacant position of the Super Eagles coaching job between Keshi and Siasia, I recommended for the appointment of Keshi based on my conviction that he had a better credentials”, Onigbinde said.

“But the NFF went ahead to appoint Siasia and when I demanded for explanation, I was told their choice was predicated on popular demand.

“This is not taking any thing away from Siasia’s qualities but then that was my position then and I’m happy today that Keshi has really proved me right”.

Onigbinde further added that he was more pleased with the fact that Keshi as an indigenous coach, has engineered the Super Eagles to their first AFCON final in 29 years after he led the team to a silver medal in Ivory Coast in 1984.

“For 29 years, our silver medal achievement in Ivory Coast has remained unequalled. I’m happy Keshi has equaled that record now.

“It goes to show that there are good things in Nigerian coaches. It goes to show that our own indigenous coaches are good and can perform given the enabling environment.

“My prayer for Keshi is for him to go one step above that silver medal by winning the 2013 Nations Cup and I’m confident he can do it”.

The former 3SC of Ibadan General Manager reacted to Super Eagles performance in yesterday’s 4-1 spanking of Mali in the Nations Cup first semi final match in Durban, South Africa.

“I was not surprised by the high performance of the team. When you see a team which keeps improving in every game, a team which plays as a unit rather than as a team of stars, then you can never be surprised with what the players just did.

“And this has to do with what the coaches tell them and want them to do on the pitch. It goes to explain the quality of the coach as he keeps coming up with different strategies in response to the nature of the opponent”, he added.