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Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi was misquoted over Ghana comments

Keshi clears the air over Ghana controversy

Posted: 2012-01-04 07:48

Following the controversy trailing his purported writing off of Ghana's chances at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has declared that he was misquoted.  

Black Stars assistant coach Kwesi Appiah had stoked the controversy last week when he said that Keshi's statement about his team has challenged them to go further than their last silver medal finish at Angola 2010.
 
Keshi has, however, said that he did not in any way undermine the chances of Ghana.
 
"I was asked to name my favourite teams to win the Nations Cup and I said on paper, Ivory Coast and Senegal have the strongest teams, but tournaments like these are full of surprises," Keshi said.
 
"Maybe, because I did not list Ghana and the question was asked on Ghanaian soil, the journalist decided to say I have written Ghana off. How can I write off a team that made it to the quarter finals of the last World Cup?" he asked.
 
He advised the Ghanaian team to step up preparations for the tournament, instead of wasting time reacting to what they perceived as an attack on the Black Stars.
 
"Every team that has qualified is capable of winning the championship, but you will agree with me that some teams are rated higher than others even by Fifa, that is what I simply said." 

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ikechukwu: 2012-01-04 09:38

Ghana will not win it.Watch out for cote d'ivoire,senegal and guinea.Keshi,i beg prepare our local eagles very well and make sure u pick d best.

kingbaah: 2012-01-04 11:03

u guys in naija should concentrate on the bad state of affairs in the naijarian game and stop talking about ghana,hating super chickens

Sheik: 2012-01-04 11:05

instead of u to focus on building ur team, u are here talking abt whether ghana will win the african cup or not....dont forget that even if they dont win it, at least they qualified for the tournament, what abt 9ja? if u live in a glass house, u dont throw stones mr keshi...no wonder u decided not to play senegal but liberia, somalia and iraq. shame on u....

ikechukwu: 2012-01-04 11:13

He who laugh last laugh best.lets watch n see.

lima: 2012-01-04 11:15

It is a challenge, let them go and bring the trophy. not everything will make headline.

redhat_dome@yahoo.co.uk: 2012-01-04 11:28

What is the big deal? Whether Ghana win or not apart from Egypt and ameroun Ghana has won it four times how about Nigeria twince only so Ghana is still ahead of Nigeria at the moment.Please rest this case

Podium: 2012-01-04 11:40

Hey 'Mr. Sheik' or whatever you call yourself, there is always a trying time for national teams. This is the first time the Super Eagles will be passing through this kind of trying time. Have you forgotten that it took your so called black stars 12 years to qualify for her first world cup after Nigeria had gone to 3 world cups including USA 94. What were you doing then, i presume " rebuilding the depleted black stars as it were then. You sit there and insult our 'Super Eagles' calling them super chikens. Your team is still not the best in Africa, so you guys stop daydreaming about winning the Afcon now, when you have the likes of Ivory Coast who has always been your nemesis and the likes of Senegal, Guinea and lately Zambia to contend with. I dont see you beating Senegal talkless of Ivory Coast. Just keep praying for God to be on your side during the Afcon rather than ill wishes from you to Nigerians.And again stop boasting when the thing has not started,try and do more of the talking on the field of play.

derutalguy: 2012-01-04 11:43

Warning!!! We are relaxed the way we post tenses and languages in our country's site.Any incoming protest should scale his or herself before posting any fallacy which will not be condoned in this Niger BEST site, Thank you.

Bola: 2012-01-04 21:15

Ghana can never win it I bet my life, not in this generation.

coache: 2012-01-04 23:27

When Amodu said, Siasia beware of this NFF, when the chips are down, they will turn their back at you. That was before the Nigeria versus Guinea match. Exactly what the man said came to past. Ghanaian fans, just don't be over zealous, because these men might have seen from a crystal ball. .....

Aside, I can see (not through a crystal ball) that Nigeria might not win against Rwanda unless Keshi works really hard because, Milo is their coach and he is an experienced tactician.

bawa: 2012-01-05 20:59

In Angola, Ghana and the superfavourites Cote d’Ivoire were in the same group. They played with Cote d'ivoire, Nigeria, Egypt and even Burkina Faso as favorites but they nearly won the cup. Keshi, I beg you to prepare your team well and leave Ghana alone. The Super Eagles want something more than what you are doing. You are not misquoted. You will NEVER NEVER respect Ghana. The Black Stars beat you in the qualification match SENEGAL 92 and beat you again in the tournament as a captain of the Super Eagles, they beat you as a coach of the Aigles of Mali both in Ghana and in Mali which cost you your job as a coach despite all the propaganda you against Ghana.

kassav2k: 2012-01-05 22:27

Why are you running away Keshi ? I don't see anything wrong with your comments even though I'm a Ghanaian. Nigerians are our rivals and the only interest most Nigerians will have in this edition of Afcon will be to see the downfall of Ghana. Be bold and stand by your comments; aren't you a man ? If really you think you are basing your argument on FIFA ranking then your two favorites should have been Ivory Coast and Ghana since Ghana is ahead of Senegal. Any ours is called Team Ghana and it is team work and not collection of individuL stars. Black Stars might not win the tourney but we will give our all as always. Mark my words!

Wal100: 2012-01-06 06:54

I thank God that one state in Nija is bigger and richer than Ghana otherwise this black heart and black sense people would have instigated war to uproot 9nija out on earth because they hate anything that comes from the only english country near them. Pls Ghana your level na Togo and Benin not Nija where only one man held your economy for rasome years back , stop, making mouth, where were your black stars since 1980, you won afcon when touching ball with hand was not a foul.

Keshi said his opinion base on development of african football and your coach wanted to make it a topic, go and get the cup after all i supported Ghana at the world cup and will support them again but you black ghanians stop putting your legs on over-sized shoes. 9Ija de bogus