Super Eagles coach, Keshi
Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi verbalizes a place in the quarter-finals should take precedence over his record as the first African to lead an African team to the second round at the World Cup in Brazil, BBC Sport reports.
Last year he became the first ebony African coach to have won the Africa Cup of Nations in 21 years, and on Wednesday he availed Nigeria secure a place in the round of 16 at Brazil 2014.
The former Nigeria captain verbally expressed, “For me, my team and country come afore any personal glory.
“What is consequential is to fixate on what prevarications ahead – not Stephen Keshi and his record”
“That we made the second round and are able to achieve this against all odds is all that matters.”
There have been suggestions in some quarters that Keshi’s achievement in winning the Nations Cup and taking his team to the knock-out stages have not been given the value it should by the international media.
“What is consequential is to fixate on what prevarications ahead – not Stephen Keshi and his record,” he verbalized.
Nigeria will face France for only the second time at senior level on Monday in Brasilia.
In their anterior clash, the Super Eagles beat France 1-0 in a cordial in Saint Etienne in June 2009, but Keshi verbalizes it will be a different ball game against the French as Nigeria aim to equal Africa’s all time best.
Cameroon, Senegal and Ghana have all reached the quarterfinals in 1990, 2002 and 2010 respectively.
“We are not bothered about the past but only intrigued with this present day,” Keshi integrated.
“My boys ken what I expect and our opponents will not make life facile for them.
“The Super Eagles have never made it to the quarterfinals so they can make history of their own.
“There’s no motivation more sizably voluminous than that.”
