Job offers flood in for Keshi

Football | Super Eagles

 

In February of this year Stephen Keshi led the super eagles to reclaim the African cup of Nations after a 19 year gap. He achieved this by taking to the tournament one of the most inexperienced sides Nigeria has taken to an AFCON tournament since he was the skipper of the 1984 side.
In many countries this achievement will translate into many financial rewards and great planning and structure for the team. Not Nigeria. For Stephen Keshi and his technical crew have not been paid salaries for the last 7 months.
"It is the love that I have for my country that has kept me in this place ever since" Keshi explains to supersport.com when asked why he is putting up with this.
"Listen, I go outside into the shops and markets and ordinary Nigerians in the streets are thanking me and asking God to continue to bless me. It humbles me. It makes me realise the responsibilities I have to these people and I keep at the job. I also have a fantastic group of young footballers who I sincerely do not want to abandon at this moment" The Big Boss says with a look that shows how he is touched by the love Nigerians show him.


"I went into an ice-cream shop and the owner refused for me to pay for anything he says to me to take whatever I like saying 'sir, you have made us too happy' when I just took a cup of ice-cream he then gave me money to please 'buy biscuits for my (Keshi's) children'". "Too humbling for me I have to confess"
As a successful coach he is not shy of suitors "oh I have four offers on the table for me that will triple my wages that I am supposed to be getting here. But because of those reasons I have given I have told those offers to please go elsewhere."
Stephen Keshi is patently unhappy too with the furore that the bonus created. "Where else in this world do you hear or read of where a successful team having their bonuses slashed?" When one thinks about it like that it shows how incongruous the whole thing looks really. "Ghana players were on $15000 per man to beat Egypt while the Egyptians were on $25000 per man yet African Champions are being offered $5000!" That is Nigerian football administration sense.
"My players are just determined to play in the world cup that is why they really don't care so much even though they know what obtains in other countries"
The Super Eagles of Nigeria are ninety minutes away from world cup qualification following a 2-1 first leg lead over Ethiopia. The second leg takes place in Calabar on the 16th of November.