13th November, 2013
Super Eagles Chief Coach, Stephen Keshi, is optimistic that apart from beating Ethiopia in Saturday’s World Cup qualifier in Calabar, the Nigerian team is capable of winning the Brazil 2014 World Cup.
Keshi expressed the optimism in an interactive session with newsmen in Calabar on Wednesday, ahead of the crucial qualifier against the Walya Antelopes.
He also stated that the support of his players, assistant coaches and the back room crew members, were responsible for the successes of the national team and for his being regarded as the most successful indigenous coach in Nigeria.
”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,” Keshi said while responding to a question.
He also restated the secrets of Eagles successes so far: ”May be my assistant coaches and I are the best indigenous coaches in football that Nigeria ever had.
”The real secrets 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.”
He said that he was also able to get results due to discipline in the 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. 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.”
The team’s Captain, Vincent Enyeama, also gave assurance that the Super Eagles would do what was required to take the team to the Brazil 2014 World Cup.