Q&A with Stephen Keshi

On Tuesday, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) reappointed Stephen Keshi as head coach of the Super Eagles until for another two years.

Keshi was first appointed as coach of the Nigeria national team in 2011.

The former Mali and Togo national team trainer sat down with supersport.com shortly after he signed the contract to discuss his project as head coach of the three-time African champions.

supersport.com: Congratulations “Big Boss” on finally signing the contract. You must be relieved.

Stephen Keshi: Relieved is not the word. I will rather say I am just looking forward to starting work immediately.

Like you know, the 2017 Africa Nations Cup qualifiers is around the corner and our first match is on June 13 against Chad.

I recall signing a similar contract in 2011 and I remember everything vividly.

I want to thank everyone especially the media who came out massively to be a part of the unveiling ceremony in Abuja (On Tuesday) on such short notice.

supersport.com: Your predecessor, Samson Siasia was sacked for failing to guide Nigeria to a place at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

Many say you should have suffered a similar fate after failing to guide the Super Eagles to a place at the 2015 Afcon.

Stephen Keshi: You need to understand that the circumstances and conditions that Siasia worked under were completely different from what I faced.

At that time (period of the 2015 Afcon qualifiers), Nigerian football was dogged by a lot of drama and infighting.

There were so many issues relating to what faction would lead the NFF and these things hampered our preparations.

We were told of different elections and different NFF presidents and board members.

The players were aware of what was going on and it affected them psychologically. These ultimately affected the results posted on the pitch.

When everything was going on smoothly earlier, I qualified Nigeria for the World Cup and won the Afcon title in 2013 without any kind of problems.

I also had to work without a formal contract. Things are however very different now and with the current spirit I have seen so far from the NFF, I am sure we will do well.

supersport.com: The NFF is surprisingly quiet on the composition of your backroom staff but there are rumours that you asked for your former number two, Daniel Amokachi not to be re-appointed.

Stephen Keshi: I read about the speculations. The truth is that I cannot hire or fire any coach. That is the duty of the NFF and the best I can do is to give my point of view when recommendations are made.

supersport.com: What were your recommendations on Amokachi?

Stephen Keshi: I can’t tell you that. There are certain things that are confidential between a head coach and his employers.

The NFF will always ask my opinion about members of my backroom staff because I am the one that will work with them ultimately.

However, the final decision on who gets fired or hired rests with the NFF and not me.

supersport.com: Speaking about the NFF, are you comfortable working with the present members of the executive committee?

Stephen Keshi: I really don’t understand this question……why should I not be comfortable working with them?

supersport.com: Because you were sacked by the same board midway through Nigeria’s 2015 Afcon qualifying campaign?

Stephen Keshi: Point of correction….I wasn’t sacked. You cannot sack a man that does not have a contract with you.

At that point, I did not have a contract with the NFF. I was merely asked to step aside for someone else (Amodu Shuaibu) to continue.

And I honestly don’t believe there was any malice in that decision. If there was, the same NFF would not have offered me a new contract.

The NFF only took a decision which they believed was right for Nigerian football at that time, and I respect that.

I have an excellent working relationship with my bosses.

supersport.com: Public opinion over the NFF’s decision to hand you a new contract is divided. Do you think you face a difficult task proving yourself to your doubters?

Stephen Keshi: (Laughs). No. I don’t need to prove myself to anyone. I know what I can do.

Listen I understand Nigerians are unhappy that the team did not qualify for the last Afcon and are not playing well.

I take responsibility and I apologize. The truth is we must learn from the past to have a better future.

Nigerians must know that this is not Stephen Keshi’s Super Eagles but their Super Eagles.

The team belongs to everyone and Nigerians must come together, forgive mistakes of the past and move on.

This is a new era and we must all work together to form a great Super Eagles again.

supersport.com: What mistakes made during you first stint would you work on correcting this time around?

Stephen Keshi: Initially, I had a plan and I followed that plan. Everything was going on well and we ended up winning the 2013 Afcon title.

We also qualified for the 2014 Fifa World Cup but then things began to change.

There was a lot of interference and it affected everything we were doing. The good thing is that things are very different now and I am sure we will do well.

supersport.com: How confident are you of Nigeria’s chances picking a 2017 Afcon ticket ahead of Group opponents, Chad, Tanzania and Egypt

Stephen Keshi: I have always taken things one step at a time. We will prosecute the game against Chad first.

After that, we can worry about Tanzania and Egypt.

supersport.com: Thanks coach for your time.

Stephen Keshi: Anytime, Sam.