Why Nigeria must celebrate Keshi – Amaju

Executive Chairman of Delta State Sports Commission, Amaju Pinnick said yesterday that Stephen Keshi should be celebrated and not despised for the Confederations Cup failure.

Amaju was reacting to the remarks of sports promoter, Martin Osaile who said that Keshi had reached his limit and might not offer Nigeria more than he did at the last Nations Cup in South Africa where Nigeria won the cup 19 years after they did so in Tunisia. Amaju said the following:

Coach Stephen Keshi has

“It is fundamentally wrong to assume that Keshi has reached his limit. Keshi should not be condemned but celebrated. He has been on duty for only two years and within this period we won the Nations Cup, something we were doing under an indigenous coach for the first time. Everybody is celebrating Alex Ferguson for the feat he achieved with Manchester United.

But how many years did he work before he won his first trophy?  Martin Osaile wants Osaze back to the Eagles. I don’t have anything against that. But we won the Nations Cup without Osaze.

We all know that Osaze has a history of clashes with coaches. He had problems with Amodu, Lagerback, Siasia and now Keshi. Indiscipline or impunity is not a synonym for heroism. Has Osaze changed? Does he respect the coach?

Even in Europe he quarrels with his managers. What will become of the Eagles if he returns to the team without changing? Keshi should stand tall for the decisions he has been taking.

He exposes unknown players and with time they will get it right. You can imagine Egwuekwe of Warri Wolves playing against Inesta of Barcelona. Keshi should be supported. Delta State will support him 100 per cent. In Brazil, his boys made some defensive mistakes and conceded goals.

He should be allowed to learn from those mistakes. At the Nations Cup he fielded the likes of Sunday Mba and Godfrey Oboabona and I doubt if Nigeria would have won the Nations Cup without the local boys that he introduced. The  coaches before him couldn’t do that.

Osaile might have some points but he should have channeled them to Keshi and not to attack him publicly. I did not believe in Keshi before the Nations Cup. And I told him when we met. But he had  a superior argument over the points I raised and he later proved me wrong.

During the Nations Cup, we saw the Eagles play with rhythm for the first time in a very long time. There was link from the defence to midfield and from there to attack. I think that we should celebrate Keshi. On the issue of marketing players which Osaile alleged, my question is which coach does not sell players?