Let Stephen Keshi Be – By Arnold A. Alalibo

Posted by admin Arnold Alalibo, Articles, Columnists, NNP Columnists, Soccer, Sports Monday, March 17th, 2014

By Arnold A. Alalibo | NNP | March 17. 2014 – Why is it hard for Nigeria to manage and sustain success especially in football? It is unimaginable that few months to the 2014 World Cup billed for Brazil, the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, is mounting pressure on the Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, to accept the appointment of a foreign technical assistant to work with him.

I perceive that this move is being made because the Glass House believes Keshi does not have what it takes to bring far-reaching success to the team at the World Cup and so needs a foreign technical assistant to enable it achieve the required success perhaps beyond the point no African country has been able to attain at the mundial.

One does not need a soothsayer to know that the proposal is borne out of selfish intent which will neither serve Keshi nor the nation’s interest. Any coach worth his salt will resist the move. Keshi is a reputable coach whose credentials are not in doubt. Those who employed him know better, unless they are up to some mischief.

He single-handedly qualified the Togolese national team for their first ever World Cup appearance in 2006, but was dropped soon after, due to advanced politicking in the team. The Malian national team also came under his tutelage. Since he took over from Sampson Siasia as coach of the Super Eagles, the fortune of the national team has improved by leaps and bounds. This enabled him to win the 2013 best African coach award by CAF. These achievements are indications that he is not a mean coach.

If Keshi has not requested for a technical assistant, why then the move by the NFF? Such move to my mind is unnecessary. There is absolutely no need to presume that we need one. Even if an assistant is needed, must the person be a foreigner? Must he be one who wears a white skin? Can’t we get an equally experienced Nigerian coach who can work with Keshi amicably?

Fortunately, it has not been alleged any where that the Super Eagles coach is technically deficient or that his performance is below expectation. So why waste money that could be used to finance our participation in the tournament on hiring a foreign coach that may not be as patriotic, competent and zealous as Keshi?

In the heat of the controversy, Keshi had argued that he did not need a technical assistant imported from outside, but that his former assistant and ex-international, Sylvanus Okpala, who was disengaged by the NFF, should be reinstated. I think this is good enough because even football pundits and stakeholders in the game with sound technical background have testified to Okpala’s competence.

I am not saying that Keshi is perfect and operates without lapses. He certainly has weak areas. But have those calling for a foreign technical assistant for him identified his weaknesses to enable them understand the kind of assistant he needs? I believe an assistant ought to play a complementary role in that he should be strong where the coach is weak.
This is the reason Keshi is asking the NFF to re-engage Okpala who has been tested and is said to be sound technically and versatile in match-reading. In my view, he is the type of assistant the “Big Boss”, as he is popularly known, truly deserves. Those who suggested the idea of engaging a foreign assistant failed to consider its implications at this time. They have made the request in bad faith.
This is not the time to talk about engaging a foreign assistant for the Eagles’ coach unless those who are proposing the idea want something out of the deal for their pockets. Besides, it raises a moral question. How can one person labour to qualify the team for the 2014 World Cup while another reaps the benefits?
Are we forgetting so soon that we had had such appointments in the past without achieving the desired results? So, what guarantee do we have that it will work this time, especially when the competition is barely four months away? Let Keshi and his team go for the tournament. They will learn from their mistakes and acquire additional experience.
Our football authorities should spare the team the unwarranted distraction at this point when it should be planning for friendly matches against other countries and logistics to ensure a successful outing for the team in Brazil.
With their recent successes in the last Nations Cup and CHAN competitions, the Super Eagles’ mentor and his team proved beyond reasonable doubt that they can do the job well. Keshi knows exactly what he needs to succeed in his assignment and therefore should be given an unfettered hand to operate. The NFF has to respect his views and particularly consider his proposal on Okpala.wp_posts