EAGLES' JOB: KESHI DREADS FAILURE

Stephen Okechukwu Keshi has disclosed that his greatest fears when he took over the Super Eagles' job was the ferocious attack and criticism of the Nigerian media, insisting that he had the feelings that Nigerians journalists don't want Nigerian football to progress and survive.

Keshi, who expressed the fears while fielding questions in an exclusive chat with Daily Sunsports in Morocco recently, admitted that only the media could make or mar his success with the team, arguing that he would succeed if he gets excellent working relations with the media.

The Nigerian former international, noting that the media were responsible for the successes he recorded in Togo and Mali, said: 'My greatest fears are the media because somehow, I feel that the media don't want Nigerian football to progress and survive. The media are my biggest problem and if we can work together, we can move forward.

They don't need to like me, but they must like the country. If they must criticise, let it be very constructive.'

'Only recently a journalist told me to sanction Mikel Obi but I asked why. I told him to go all out for Mikel if he thinks that what he is doing is not good. The media should not use me to fight their case by throwing my players and I into confusion.

'It is not fair. If I have 100 per cent of working relation ship with the media, I guarantee the Nigerian national teams will fly.

I succeeded in Togo because I had a perfect working relationship with the media.

They would surprisingly look for the match clips of our opponents, and fed me with other information. We will sit down in my house, analyse it with them before I take it up with my players.

'Yes, I'm the national team head coach today, but I cannot do it alone. We are divided in pursuing the same goal.

Whoever player we selected to play, let us support him. We come hard on the players forgetting that it could break them down especially those without strong mentality,' he added.