‘Keshi’s World Cup team had structural defect’
More reactions have continued to trail Nigeria’s early exit from the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil with a retired Grade 1 referee, Chief Michael Ajayi, blaming Coach Stephen Keshi for selecting, what he described as, a structurally defective Super Eagles’ squad for the tournament.
“The team that was presented by chief coach of the Super Eagles, Mr. Stephen Keshi, was structurally defective ab initio and was not programmed to go beyond the Round of 16,” he stated in a press statement he delivered to sports journalists in Lagos yesterday.
Ajayi, who analysed the performance of the Nigerian team, submitted that Keshi lacks the necessary qualities to lead Nigeria to the promise land in the round leather game; and strongly advocated for the engagement of a foreign coach of international repute, who must reside in Nigeria, to effectively help develop our football.
“Due to poor selection, Mr. Keshi’s team lacked a good bench capable of turning the tide when the chips were down. This observation came to the fore when Ogenyi Onazi was stretched out of the field of play after a violent tackle by Blaise Mutuidi and the replacement; Rueben Gabriel, made no impact on the team. The exit of Onazi exposed the deficiencies of Mikel Obi in the midfield of the Super Eagles.
“A good team is expected to have good penalty and set pieces takers, specialists in long and short distance free kicks, as well as corner kicks. We all watched with pains as Ahmed Musa, though an excellent player, wasted five corner kicks without a word from the chief coach, whereas, Argentina took two set pieces to defeat Nigeria.”
Ajayi bemoaned the fact that Keshi could not demonstrate enough skill in match reading and team management at the World Cup.
“While the country is blessed with abundant talents, Mr. Keshi stubbornly refused to invite some good players to the national team. The invitation of Osaze Odemwingie was due to the pressure from football-loving Nigerians and not because Keshi considered it desirable to do so. He turned out the Biblical ‘neglected brick’ that became the corner stone in our match against Bosnia-Hezergovina.
“The non-inclusion of Ike Uche- the hit man of Villarreal, with 14 goals in the Spanish La Liga, exposed the weakness in the Super Eagles’ attacking options, especially after the exit of Michael Babatunde. Despite several pleas from Nigerians and the apology tendered by Ike Uche, Keshi refused to include him in the World Cup squad. A coach that has the kind of unforgiving spirit like Keshi is not fit to head the technical crew of the Super Eagles” Ajayi submitted.
“So far, Keshi has demonstrated that he is an average coach. He should be thanked for his average efforts so far and relieved of his appointment immediately. Nigeria’s Super Eagles need an experienced Grade ‘A’ coach” he concluded.
Ajayi, who analysed the performance of the Nigerian team, submitted that Keshi lacks the necessary qualities to lead Nigeria to the promise land in the round leather game; and strongly advocated for the engagement of a foreign coach of international repute, who must reside in Nigeria, to effectively help develop our football.
“Due to poor selection, Mr. Keshi’s team lacked a good bench capable of turning the tide when the chips were down. This observation came to the fore when Ogenyi Onazi was stretched out of the field of play after a violent tackle by Blaise Mutuidi and the replacement; Rueben Gabriel, made no impact on the team. The exit of Onazi exposed the deficiencies of Mikel Obi in the midfield of the Super Eagles.
“A good team is expected to have good penalty and set pieces takers, specialists in long and short distance free kicks, as well as corner kicks. We all watched with pains as Ahmed Musa, though an excellent player, wasted five corner kicks without a word from the chief coach, whereas, Argentina took two set pieces to defeat Nigeria.”
Ajayi bemoaned the fact that Keshi could not demonstrate enough skill in match reading and team management at the World Cup.
“While the country is blessed with abundant talents, Mr. Keshi stubbornly refused to invite some good players to the national team. The invitation of Osaze Odemwingie was due to the pressure from football-loving Nigerians and not because Keshi considered it desirable to do so. He turned out the Biblical ‘neglected brick’ that became the corner stone in our match against Bosnia-Hezergovina.
“The non-inclusion of Ike Uche- the hit man of Villarreal, with 14 goals in the Spanish La Liga, exposed the weakness in the Super Eagles’ attacking options, especially after the exit of Michael Babatunde. Despite several pleas from Nigerians and the apology tendered by Ike Uche, Keshi refused to include him in the World Cup squad. A coach that has the kind of unforgiving spirit like Keshi is not fit to head the technical crew of the Super Eagles” Ajayi submitted.
“So far, Keshi has demonstrated that he is an average coach. He should be thanked for his average efforts so far and relieved of his appointment immediately. Nigeria’s Super Eagles need an experienced Grade ‘A’ coach” he concluded.
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