EURO CLUBS SLOWING ME DOWN - KESHI

By NBF News

Keshi
Super Eagles' Head Coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, has admitted he was facing a tough situation in the Nations Cup qualifier encounter against the Amavubi Stars of Rwanda, following the helpless late arrival of foreign players, stressing that it would affect his game plans.

The Eagles' gaffer, speaking exclusively with Daily Sunsports in the home-based camp in Abuja yesterday, noted that he is banking on the possibility of his invited players playing on Saturday and joining the team on Sunday, even as he said that the away games lined-up for the home-based would give them the much needed exposure ahead of the Rwanda tie.

In his words: 'The late arrival of players to camp owing to European clubs' engagements would be very difficult for us. I have to admit that the situation is the most difficult aspect of the match against Rwanda. You know that the match comes up on Wednesday, but the major problem is that European league does not have it in its schedule because the weekend before that match was not a FIFA window.

'Most of the players would likely play on Saturday and or Sunday before joining us for only just two days. Our prayer is that most of the players we are going to invite would play on Saturday to join us on Sunday and maybe have only one training session with us before our departure. But, we will try and manage the situation.

'As for the situation affecting our game plan, we are hoping to make up every shortcoming with the home-based players. That is why they are in camp and training hard. That is also why we are working hard to give them the confidence.

'We have already told them that the Liberia game is very important to them. Good enough the two friendly matches line-up for them are away games. It would give them the mentality and confidence of prosecuting away games. However, I want to assure you that the professionals are coming and we will see how we are going to manage the situation,' he noted.