PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
2013 AFCON: Nigerian Coach faces selection headache
Durban, South Africa (PANA) - On the eve of the semi-final clash with Mali at the ongoing African Nations Cup tournament in South Africa, Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi, has admitted here that he has had selection headache since assuming the job of coaching Nigeria.
"That headache has reached a boiling point here now that the team is on the verge of qualifying for the final," PANA quoted Keshi as saying here at a press conference preceding the tie.
The return of Norway-based Fegor Ogude from a match suspension means that he has to battle Ogenyi Onazi, for a midfield role, after the Lazio of Italy man put up a yeoman’s performance in the quarter final duel against Cote d'Ivoire.
“Its been tough and I always have this headache of selection but with Fegor back, it's going to be tough picking who to start but by Wednesday we shall see who starts," Keshi said.
The Big Boss, as Keshi is fondly called, also took a swipe at mediocre foreign coaches that are often hired by African football federations and reiterated his call for a stop to that.
“If we hire a quality coach from Europe that we can learn something from, I won’t have issues with that but when they come from the backyard and parade themselves as expatriate coaches when they don’t know what ex-internationals like us know then I am against it," Keshi said.
Also on Tuesday, the President of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), Aminu Maigari, along with Technical Committee Chairman, Christopher Green, was at the Eagles last training session before its semi-final game to motivate the team ahead of the Mali match.
-0- PANA KS/VAO 5Fen2013
"That headache has reached a boiling point here now that the team is on the verge of qualifying for the final," PANA quoted Keshi as saying here at a press conference preceding the tie.
The return of Norway-based Fegor Ogude from a match suspension means that he has to battle Ogenyi Onazi, for a midfield role, after the Lazio of Italy man put up a yeoman’s performance in the quarter final duel against Cote d'Ivoire.
“Its been tough and I always have this headache of selection but with Fegor back, it's going to be tough picking who to start but by Wednesday we shall see who starts," Keshi said.
The Big Boss, as Keshi is fondly called, also took a swipe at mediocre foreign coaches that are often hired by African football federations and reiterated his call for a stop to that.
“If we hire a quality coach from Europe that we can learn something from, I won’t have issues with that but when they come from the backyard and parade themselves as expatriate coaches when they don’t know what ex-internationals like us know then I am against it," Keshi said.
Also on Tuesday, the President of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), Aminu Maigari, along with Technical Committee Chairman, Christopher Green, was at the Eagles last training session before its semi-final game to motivate the team ahead of the Mali match.
-0- PANA KS/VAO 5Fen2013
