The team took a break after its 2-0 win over Rwanda in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier played at the UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar, the Cross River State capital on Saturday. The Nigeria Football Federation will meet with the technical crew in the coming days in Abuja. The meeting is to streamline preparations for the next round of qualifiers and also ensure that Nigeria is not caught unaware in the qualifiers. Meanwhile Stephen Keshi has spoken of how he has had to wake up late at night and early in the mornings to pray with unknown Nigerians in the bid to ensure that the country does not miss out consecutively from the Nations Cup. Adding that the job is not done yet as there are still several hurdles to overcome. "I will like to dedicate the victory over Rwanda to thousands of Nigerians who will wake up and call me for prayers early in the morning at about 2, 3 or 4am, the victory we have here is obviously for them," he said. Keshi praised the resilience of the team in the game against Rwanda, assuring that in the coming days the team will even get better. "We have reached a point where I think we can really rediscover Nigerian football and we again appeal for understanding from all football loving Nigerians." Keshi described the Rwandan side as very good but noted that they had to cave in under pressure from a superior Nigerian side.
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I guessed the coach watched a different game, cause Nigeria was not superior on the field of play..........
Good luck
Im ove the verdict that home based players be used, but never as the core, maybe 2 or 3 gradually, helping them see and learn. Nothing beats exposure, we that live abroad know we are mentally miles ahead of our mates who still leave abroad.
When Nigerians were celebrating gcm for instance, developed countries are looking beyond 4G..
Keshi is still talking about not having video materials of countries, but other countries would easily get matches and player details online. The NFF dont even have a functional website. How many of these clubs have good websites aside enyiba.
This NFF dont have time for rebuilding, they wan result, they are just going along with keshi, but also telling him if he fails he is out. IN MY OPINION, the building should be from the under 20 and U23 and not the national team, we are too talented to start building from the end. right now all our teams are rebulding, even falcons, even under20, like serioulsly, rebuilding an under20 team!! a team that should last only every 2 -3 years.
Siasias under 20 in 2005 was a New breed, boys from the local league, won africa, won europe, lost only to messi, and thats becos he had a better academy, 2008 olympics, these same players came back more matured with the blend of local and foreign and caged messi to a lone goal.
Siasia wanted ( as the normal thing is to use these same lads in 2011, at least the inform ones, and blend with a few old legs, Yobo, Enyeama, Osaze, Uche, Shittu and some other guys) this to me is building cos there is already a foundation.
See how badly these players were shooting balls, The NATIONAL team of NIGERIA, that had players like Odegbami, kanu and Jaykay, Oliseh, Ikpeba, Finidi, Babayaro, Oruma.. and these is what we call rebuilding?
even at 93, the japan team had mecurial players, Oruma is yet to retire so is kanu, that is long term .. all these home based lads wont last 3 yrs even if they go abroad. How many years did we enjoy Victor Agali or Julius Aghaowa, Ikedia and co, Promising talent, but they were just enuff for the tournament. These homelands will not scare CIV or Ghana.