Eagles To Soar Again

Source: thewillnigeria.com

Newly appointed Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi is ready to get off the blocks as he tinkers with the Super Eagles on his second return to the national team.

Keshi has been tied down to a two year deal by the Nigeria Football Federation after series of postponements and the former Togo coach is keen to get to business as the Afcon 2017 qualifiers, starting in June approaches.

Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2015 edition in Equatorial Guinea, consequent which many thought that will spell the end of his journey with Eagles, but after signing a new two year deal, Keshi is looking to bury the ghosts of time past.

A source close to the coach told supersport.com that Keshi will reel out some names of players that he wants to access next month (May) with an eye on the Afcon qualifier against Chad in June.

“The Big Boss will invite some players for residential training next month if he gets approval from the NFF.

“I can’t say for sure how it will look like but the home based players will be fully involved with a sprinkling of foreign based players who’s leagues have ended.

“He really wants to get things right this time around and he has already set out to form a template that will put Nigeria back on track again. Keshi means business.

“A lot of things happened pre-Afcon qualification but that is all in the past, the future is what he is all about and I’m sure he will give it all his best,”the source added.

Nigeria are in Group G of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers alongside Egypt, Tanzania and Chad, a group many feel Nigeria and Egypt should be the principal actors but the source said Keshi doesn’t look at it that way.

“I can assure you he (Keshi) doesn’t look at the group that way. In fact he is more concerned with Tanzania and Chad.. Those are teams who can harm you if you take your legs off the pedal.

“Egypt isn’t entirely new to Nigeria and their strengths are well known. But Chad and Tanzania could be dark horses.

There are no more minnows in African football. Every game will be approached with the same level of seriousness and intensity. I can guarantee you that,”he said.

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