Ex-international, Chike Arisa called
from his base in Holland to make
enquiries on Nigerian football. He
was overjoyed that Chris Giwa had
agreed to sheath his sword for the
good of the game but he could not
come to terms with the news that
Stephen Keshi agreed to come back
after being shown the exit door by
the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF.
Nigeria's coach Stephen Keshi gives
a press conference at the Baixada
Arena in Curitiba on June 15, 2014,
on the eve of their Group F 2014
FIFA World Cup football match
against Iran. AFP PHOTO
Nigeria’s coach Stephen Keshi gives
a press conference at the Baixada
Arena in Curitiba on June 15, 2014,
on the eve of their Group F 2014
FIFA World Cup football match
against Iran. AFP PHOTO
“It’s scandalous. It’s a shame that
he even agreed to come back”,
Arisa , one of the beautiful brides of
Nigerian football in the 80s said.
Arisa who played for Nigeria’s big
Clubs – ACB, Iwuanyanwu Nationale
and Bendel Insurance and tickled
souls with his mastery of scoring
goals in the Green Eagles under the
tutelage of coaches Adegboye
Onigbinde and Paul Hamilton
advised Keshi to quit when the
ovation was loudest.
“Keshi remains a hero in Nigerian
football. But he should know when
to remain a hero before he falls to
zero. With our performances at the
World Cup and the catalogue of poor
results thereafter especially in the
AFCON gualifiers, I think Keshi
should have read the handwriting
on the wall. Nigerians will lynch him
if he fails”.
Arisa who embraced the headlines
as one the highest goal scorers of
his time predicted that Keshi’s
second coming could spell disaster
for Nigerian football.
“In all honesty, I don’t see Nigeria
doing well under him. He
desperately needs help to impart
something in the players. His
technical bench is empty. What
value can Amokachi add to him.
Nothing. I see that Ike Uche one of
the best forwards of Nigeria he left
out for reasons only he knows has
been recalled. That is where the
problem starts. Ike Uche might not
sparkle under him. The Keshi I know
hardly forgives. He will not want
people to laugh last if Ike comes
back to do well. He has lost that
commanding role and the players
are not comfortable with him, again”,
Arisa said on our hotline.
Arisa wants a foreigner who is not
biased and with interest on youths
from our clubs to step in to salvage
our football. “Imagine inviting
players from China? Our local
players are better than them. If we
want to stop incessant frictions over
bonus and all, we need a foreigner.
Indigenous coaches are sentimental
with their selections”.
Arisa also advised President
Jonathan to pay attention to the
myriads of problems in the country
and allow those elected to run
football in the country to run the
game.
“How will Keshi relate with Pinnick
since he knew that his help comes
from the Presidency? The President
has sown a seed of discord in our
football without knowing it”.
Before he dropped, Arisa asked;
“what happened to the many offers I
read that were on the table for
Keshi?
www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/shame-keshi-agreed-come-back-ex-international/