CAF HITS KESHI WITH BOMBSHELL: YOU'RE NOT QUALIFIED TO COACH EAGLES
The position of Stephen Okechukwu Keshi as the Super Eagles' Chief Coach, according to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), is on the line if he fails to enroll and obtain his B-Licence Coaching Course that would qualify him to sit on the Eagles' technical bench if the team qualifies for the 2013 Nations Cup.
The African football governing body has declared that coaches wishing to be on the bench for any of its organised tournament must hold a B-Licence certificate, which the former Nigerian skipper is yet to obtain.
However, allaying fears that the new Eagles' coach will not incur the sanctions of the African soccer ruling body, FIFA and CAF instructor and a member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Technical Sub-committee, Adegboye Onigbinde, told Daily Sunsports on telephone yesterday that he would ensure that Keshi enrols in the course coming up this month.
Asked what happens if Keshi refused to enrol for the course like sacked head coach, Samson Siasia, who allegedly turned down the directive to be involved, the Modakeke high chief said he would use his closeness to Keshi to make him enrol for the course, admitting that he has a better chemistry with the Hawks of Togo's former handler.
'Yes, it is true that CAF instructed that any coach, who did not obtain his B-Licence coaching certificate, will not be on the bench on any continental organised tournament.
However, I can assure you that obtaining the licence will not be a big problem for Keshi because the B-Licence Coaching course comes up anytime this month.'I promise that Keshi will participate in the training. I'm sorry to say it, but the true is that I'm closer to Keshi than Siasia. Maybe because I made him the Eagles' captain in 1982. I have a better chemistry with Keshi than Siasia and I can tell you that Keshi will not refuse to enrol when the training resumes,' Onigbinde assured. Meanwhile, Keshi has said that though the double international friendly encounter is not a do-or-die thing , he has challenged his players to ensure emphatic win because the national pride is at stake.
'There is nothing like a must win or do-or-die in these friendly games. However, we are going to do our best to ensure we win and make Nigerians proud. The truth is that I have not had enough time to work with the team. As for improving the departments, I will tell you that as time goes on, we will address it and make them play coherently,' he said.