Many had tipped the former Super Eagles’ captain, popularly known as the Big Boss, to succeed Dutchman Clemence Westerhof as Nigeria’s coach. Even the Dutch tactician himself predicted that Keshi had the qualities to succeed him as Nigeria’s coach giving his phenomenal influence as captain of the Super Eagles. But Keshi had to wait since then till Wednesday, November 2, 2011 to actualise that ultimate ambition of his.
What is, however, agitating the minds of most soccer-loving Nigerians, particularly, those that have followed Keshi’s career both as a player and as a coach, is whether the Super Eagles would fly under the Delta State-born ex-international.
An ex-international, who would not want his name in prints, recalled that it was Keshi that introduced mafia syndrome in the national team.
“I have my fears that Keshi may not succeed as Super Eagles’ coach. He believes in the divide and rule principle of leadership. Don’t forget that he was the one that introduced mafia syndrome in the national team. That was how he earned the nickname, Big Boss,” he recalled.
Already, many people have expressed doubts as to whether the former New Nigeria Bank (NNB) FC of Benin would not repeat the same mistakes Coach Samson Siasia made as handler of the senior national team. Although his record of qualifying tiny Togo for the 2006 World Cup in Germany remains legendary, Keshi’s ability to manage players has been a major source of worry to many observers and football analysts.
“I have a great deal of respect for Keshi, particularly, for leading Togo to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, but my fear is that he lacks the ability to manage his players,” Kaduna United’s Belgian tactician, Maurice Cooreman, noted.
Cooreman cited Keshi’s celebrated row with Togo’s inspirational captain, Emmanuel Adebayor, which led to the latter’s suspension from the national team during the first tenure of the former as coach of Togo. It was widely alleged that both parties fell apart because Adebayor refused Keshi’s move to become his manager.
Keshi, also, had similar experience with Sevilla of Spain forward and former African Footballer of the Year, Fredrick Kanoute, while he was coaching the Eagles of Mali.
A coach that would confine his best player to the bench in a crucial game when the said player was not injured or serving match suspension due to card offence, certainly, has a man-managing deficiency. A mature coach should know when and where to draw the line between personal ego and professionalism.
For ex-international, Jonathan Akpoborie, Keshi might not fair better than Siasia, not necessarily because he is not qualified as a coach, but for the simple reason that the job of rebuilding the Super Eagles would be too enormous for the Big Boss or any indigenous coach for that matter.
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