Eagles coach Stephen Keshi
Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi, is optimistic that apart from beating Ethiopia in Saturday’s World Cup qualifier in Calabar, his team can also win the Brazil 2014 World Cup.
The former coach of Mali is sure that Nigeria can win the 2014 World Cup in Brazil as soon as the Ethiopian hurdle is scaled.
He said, “Nothing is impossible in football; we can win the trophy in Brazil but the immediate task at hand is to qualify first for the World Cup.
“We have not qualified but on the verge of doing so and we must not let down our guards at this crucial moment.”
Keshi who was upset on Tuesday as players trickled into camp at a time he had expected training to have commenced fully, viewed the situation differently on Wednesday. The arrival of 2013 African Nations Cup hero Emmanuel Emenike in Calabar clearly calmed the nerves of the former Togo manager.
Emenike, who plays for Fernabahce in Turkey and Lazio of Italy’s Ogenyi Onazi were the last two players to make it to the Transcorp Hotel camp of the national team on Wednesday to the relief of Keshi and his assistants.
Keshi, who told his backroom staff he was initially angry at the late arrival of the players later reasoned that it was not their making as connecting flights from Lagos and Abuja to Calabar were quite a bit of challenge to the players.
He told the media in an interactive session, “I am relieved now that all the players are here and we can start serious preparation for the game against Ethiopia, who are still a threat because they are a very good side and have been together for up to five years. This is unlike our team which is relatively young and new.”
Meanwhile, goalkeeper and captain Vincent Enyeama said he was still pained at the goal the Ethiopians scored against him in Addis Ababa.
“That goal never crossed the line, because I knew where I stood to catch that ball. The ball that Godfrey Oboabona cleared out also did not cross the line as some people were insinuating and the referee got that right but got the other one wrong.”
After the Wednesday training session which featured all 24 invited players at the UJ Esuene Stadium, the Eagles managers have decided to have a closed session on Thursday evening at the same venue. The session will be closed to the media and general public. Friday morning training session will, however, be open to the media.
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