The news of Stephen Keshi's return to the Nigeria hotseat has been greeted with much fanfare, but is it a good move for the Super Eagles?

Few can deny the Big Boss his glorious success of 2013, but have the bitter failings of 2014 been too easily forgotten?

Two of Goal Nigeria's finest discuss the hot topic in the nation's football today...

"Keshi deal is a backward step"


The severity of Nigeria's rapidly-waning football, both on and off the pitch, in recent times, is one that draws tears from the eyes.

The just-concluded Presidential and Gubernatorial elections in Nigeria served as a welcomed distraction from the never-ending dilemma in the Nigeria Football Federation. But like a bad stench that refuses to dissipate, drama has returned to the Nigeria football scene.

With news of the return of Stephen Keshi as head coach of the Super Eagles making the rounds yet again, should Nigerians be over-joyed and excited or bite their nails in frustration at the new two-year contract signed by the Big Boss?

The latter, judging by the niggling uncertainties inherent in the current NFF administration, perhaps portrays the true reaction of soccer-loving Nigerians, who have waited patiently and quite painfully for the identity of the new manager.

As the case has been for a very long time, there are more questions than answers.

Why did it take so long to resolve Keshi's contract talks? And, is he the right man to lead the Super Eagles forward following the series of on and off-field wranglings? The failure of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers is also very much fresh in the mind.



Have Keshi's failings been too easily forgotten?

So, why stick with Keshi?

Having opted not to extend Keshi's contract after the World Cup in Brazil, with all the publicly-stated and over-emphasized sentiments by the NFF chief Amaju Pinnick to 'take Nigeria football forward', going back to resign Keshi may not be in the interest of Nigerian football.

In the eyes of the public, the former Mali coach has lost a sizable portion of his goodwill--the snub by Equatorial Guinea, for example, buttresses that. And in the hearts of Nigerians, Keshi's heroics at the 2013 AFCON has been clouded by his 2014 World Cup and 2015 Afcon failures.

If one is to become coach of Nigeria, winning, and consistently, too, is non-negotiable. However, as rational and football-savvy fans, Nigerians also know when not to put the blame on the coach or question his technical and tactical shrewdness. In this regard, however, Keshi's credit has run thin.

The long rope of excuses, which includes the notion that the 56-year-old is perhaps the only viable option amongst the indigenous coaches with the clout to manage the senior national team, manufactured for his re-assignment negates the principle of positive, forward thinking.

Nigeria is known for her radical, pro-active nature. Let this reflect in our football.

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"Who else can we call?"


The question of whether or not Stephen Keshi is the right man to take the Super Eagles forward has no simple answer. One could reasonably fall into either side of the divide; while his most recent outing with the team ended in despair and disarray, it is also worth noting that the fondest memory of Nigerian football in the last two decades came under his watch.

Nineteen years is a long time, for a country with Nigeria’s profile and latent ability, to wait for continental dominance, especially considering the biennial nature of the Africa Cup of Nations. In the place of consistent disappointment and the conciliatory sop of third-place trophies, Keshi’s stewardship delivered a third African title in 2013.

Now, this does not mean he can do no wrong, neither does it immunize him against scrutiny. However, having taken Nigeria to the pinnacle of the African game barely two years ago, he perhaps has the clearest idea how to get there again.

Besides, it is not like the NFF is spoilt for choice at the moment. In terms of Nigerian options, the only really viable one is Samson Siasia, who divides opinion just as much as the Big Boss, on account of his previous stint in 2011. Even then, Siasia presently helms the U-23 side, and is in the thick of All Africa Games preparations. To chuck this onto his place as well would be counter-productive.



Keshi's exploits mean he deserves a third chance...

Looking outside the shores of the country is navigating a field riddled with landmines. It is somewhat ironic that Nigeria’s most successful foreign manager was Clemens Westerhof, a man who came with little more than his love for the game and a lot of bombast. Engagements with more established managers have failed woefully: Bora Milutinovic was a veteran of multiple World Cup campaigns, but did not last a year; Berti Vogts led Germany to two World Cup quarter-finals and triumph at Euro 96; while Lars Lagerback came with sizable experience from the Swedish national team hot-seat.

The template would either have to be an elite manager willing to helm a project, or a young manager seeking to make a name for himself. Neither is a realistic pursuit: national team football is not sufficiently attractive to young managers, while elite managers cost significantly more than the NFF has the means to pay.

What is clear then is: Keshi may not be the best option at this present time, but he is certainly the most realistic one. There can be no doubt the hiatus has given him some time to reflect on how his castle came crashing down. It is only fair, and logical, that he gets a chance to clean up his own mess.

http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/4082/editorial/2015/04/22/11013582/the-great-debate-is-keshis-new-deal-the-right-move-for?ICID=HP_HN_1

I guess his appointment was politically motivated, why coz they want him to collect money before Jonah leave na. I am very sure Buhari knows how dull this keshi can be. To me he is irrelevant.











Keshi is as clueless as Jonah.




I dey vex

ok Keshi is clueless abi, by you


next

Just name any indigenous coach that is better than Keshi ...he needs our support to succeed this time .

lexyman:
Just name any indigenous coach that is better than Keshi ...he needs our support to succeed this time .

i think there no challenge here,
he should have moved on.


or


can he win the worl cup for us