Former winner Keshi seeks success as coach

NIGERIAN Stephen Okechukwu Keshi has experienced glory as a player and gloom as a coach at the African Nations Cup tournaments.

The 51-year-old native of Lagos was a centreback and captain of the national team when they won the title for the second and last time at the El Menzah Stadium in Tunis in 1992.

Rocked by an early Zambian goal, the Super Eagles fought back to win 2-1 on the back of an Emmanuel Amunike brace and beaming Keshi was presented with the trophy that symbolises African supremacy.

However, as Keshi prepares Nigeria for a Group C showdown with Ethiopia today, his coaching failures rather than his playing successes will concern him.

Twice before he has taken a country to this tournament and both Togo (2006) and Mali (2010) were eliminated after the mini-league first phase of the African football showpiece.

Keshi arrived with Nigeria aware that he was in charge of a country with a remarkably consistent Nations Cup record - 13 top-three finishes in 16 appearances.

But if Nigeria, who conceded late goals in 1-1 draws with Burkina Faso and Zambia, lose to unpredictable Ethiopia they will be eliminated after the first round for only the third time.

It will also mean, sooner or later, that Keshi joins the unemployed coaches’ queue having failed a third time to get beyond the first round.

The coach exudes calmness ahead of a match where a draw might not be enough for Nigeria and if the ghosts of tournaments past are haunting him, he is not letting anyone know.

“I am standing by my players, especially John Obi Mikel after his penalty miss against Zambia. We have all to play for against Ethiopia and my wish is that we build a commanding lead and hold it,” he told reporters. — AFP