In February of this year Stephen Keshi led the super eagles to reclaim the African cup of Nations after a 19 year gap. He achieved this by taking to the tournament one of the most inexperienced sides Nigeria has taken to an Afcon tournament since he was the skipper of the 1984 side.
“It is the love that I have for my country that has kept me in this place ever since,” Keshi said to supersport.com when asked why he is putting up with this.
“I go outside into the shops and markets and ordinary Nigerians in the streets are thanking me and asking God to continue to bless me. It humbles me. It makes me realise the responsibilities I have to these people and I keep at the job. I also have a fantastic group of young footballers, who I sincerely do not want to abandon at this moment,” Keshi said.
As a successful coach he is not shy of suitors. “Oh I have four offers on the table for me that will triple my wages but because of the reasons I have given I have told those offers to please go elsewhere.”
Stephen Keshi is patently unhappy with the furore that the bonus created. “Where else in this world do you hear or read of a successful team having their bonuses slashed? When one thinks about it like that it shows how incongruous the whole thing looks really. Ghana players were on $15 000 per man to beat Egypt while the Egyptians were on $25 000 per man, yet the African Champions are being offered $5 000. That is Nigerian football administration sense.
“My players are just determined to play in the World Cup. That is why they really don’t care so much even though they know what happens in other countries”
The Super Eagles of Nigeria are 90 minutes away from World Cup qualification following a 2-1 first-leg lead over Ethiopia. The second leg takes place in Calabar on 16 November.
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