LEADERS ON THE RISE
By Chris Ajaero
Monday, September 05, 2005
Stephen Keshi: Big brother of Nigerian football stars
Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, former captain of the Super Eagles who is presently the chief coach of the Hawks, Togolese national team, is a man of destiny. Keshi is by all standards one of the most successful footballers cum coaches to have come out of Nigeria.
Born in Illah, Delta State on January 31, 1962, his soccer talent manifested early in his life. It was, however, during his school days at Saint Finbar's College, Akoka, Lagos that he came to the limelight having excelled at the Lagos State Principals' Cup. He later joined the New Nigerian Bank, NNB, Football Club of Benin where he honed his soccer skills in the early 1980s. In 1981, he made his debut in the then Green Eagles team where he came in as a substitute to Christian Chukwu in the defence in their World Cup qualifier against the Desert Warriors of Algeria. As a young man bubbling with confidence, he transformed himself into an ace defender and remained a great team player throughout the 13 years of his glorious career in the national team. Indeed, Keshi, then playing for the NNB formed a solid alliance in the Eagles defence with his team mates, Bright Omokaro and Sunday Eboigbe. Based on his sterling leadership qualities, he became one of the longest serving captains of the national team.
It is remarkable that he featured in five Nations Cup tournaments - Libya '82, Ivory Coast '84, Maroc '88, Senegal '92 and Tunisia '94 where he made his imprints on the sands of time. Keshi not only captained the Super Eagles to lift the 1994 Nations Cup but fought doggedly with his team mates to take Nigeria to its first World Cup in the United States, otherwise known as USA '94. He was well respected by his coaches and team mates and this earned him the sobriquet "The Big Boss."
Ironically, Keshi's rise to stardom in the international soccer scene started with an ugly event in 1985 when he failed to report early to the national team camp with four of his colleagues who were then playing in the NNB. The "Big Boss" was banned from playing in any match organised by the Nigeria Football Association, NFA. Rather than bemoan his fate, he headed straight to Cote d'Ivoire where he began his professional career with Stella F.C. of Abidjan. To further enhance his professionalism, Keshi left Cote d'Ivoire for Belgium where he opened a new chapter for the Nigerian soccer stars. It is instructive to highlight that although Nigerian-born footballers like John Chidozie and Sylvester Okpala had played professional football in Europe before him, it was his movement to Belgium that attracted many younger footballers to Europe in the mid-1980s and thereafter. Since then, the exodus of young Nigerian soccer stars to Europe has continued. Keshi had the charisma of the biblical Moses and the command of Augustus Caesar. Indeed, his big brother status due to his success in Europe made many of the younger players to see him as a role model, creating a personality that could be likened to that of a "field marshal" around him.
In Belgium he proved himself as Nigeria's soccer ambassador. He played for Anderletch FC in Belgium and later captained the team. He also played for Ghent FC of Belgium from where he went to the United States where he continued his professional career. It was in the US that he retired from soccer.
As a professional who knows his onions, Keshi quickly went for a coaching course in the US and earned a certificate. It was at this time that many Nigerians who believed that he has a key role to play in grooming younger footballers started clamouring for him to be appointed to coach the national team. Talks about indigenous coaches to handle the Super Eagles, have always featured Keshi's name among the favourites for the job.
In 1995, when Jo Bonfrere, Dutchman, became the technical adviser of the Super Eagles, he personally requested that Keshi should be allowed to be his assistant. Although Bonfrere's request was granted, Keshi did not stay long as an assistant coach following the boycott of the 1996 African Cup of Nations in South Africa by Nigeria under the Sani Abacha military era.
However, there were persistent calls for Keshi to be appointed to take charge of the national team since he is in the mould of some Europeans stars who became their country's soccer coaches after their professional career. Some of them include Franz Beckenbauer who not only captained Germany but went ahead to coach the squad and won the World Cup, Henri Michel of France and Rabah Madjer of Algeria.
Keshi was again called to contribute towards grooming the younger players in 2002 when he worked with Shaibu Amodu as an assistant coach. Although the duo led the Super Eagles to qualify for the 2002 World Cup in Korea/Japan, the dismal performance of the team in the Nations Cup in Mali made the NFA to relieve them of their appointments. Nigeria won the bronze in the Nations Cup which was not considered good enough.
Piqued by the manner he was relieved of his appointment by the NFA, Keshi decided to redirect his attention outside the country. He was lucky that in April 2004, he was appointed to replace the Brazilian Antonio Dumas as the chief coach of the Togolese national team. The services of Dumas were terminated because he could not take the Hawks to the 2004 Nations Cup in Tunisia. Keshi's arrival coincided with the dramatic emergence of the Togo-born Emmanuel Sheyi Adebayor as Monaco's hot shot striker.
Keshi was challenged by the Togolese football authorities to qualify the country not only for the 2006 Nations Cup but the 2006 World Cup in Germany. On arrival in Lome to begin his two-year contract, Keshi said he accepted the offer because he believes that Togolese players have the skills, talents and potential to put the country back on the football map. "All Togo needs is the expertise to provide the young players with direction. We shall see what we can do in the next few days," Keshi said.
Today, Keshi is on the verge of making history as the first coach to take Togo to the World Cup for the first time. Togo is leading group A in the 2006 Nations Cup World cup qualifiers. Through the superlative performance of the team and Keshi's tactical ability, the Hawks have silenced their opponents in the race. In their match against the Chipolopolo of Zambia at Kegue Stadium, Lome June 18, this year, the Togolese side won 4-1. Earlier in March, this year, the Hawks had defeated Mali in Bamako 2-1 in front of their teeming fans. Following good string of victories by the Keshi-tutored side, Mali and Liberia are way behind and virtually out of the race for qualification.
With a ticket to the next year's Cup of Nations finals almost secured, Keshi said he will not be overwhelmed by the possibility of reaching the global finals in Germany. "I take it game by game. If it is God's will for us to be in Germany, so be it,... My aim is to win all our games. I don't see why we can't make the World Cup," Keshi said.
Many Nigerian soccer fans and coaches are already applauding Keshi's success story in Togo. Onigbinde said that he has excelled because he has been provided the conducive working environment in Togo. He said the sky is Keshi's limit as a coach. "Obviously, Keshi is doing well in Togo but it throws up some questions: Under what condition is he working over there? Would he be provided with the same conditions back home here?," he asked.
Keshi's magic wand has definitely lifted the Hawks of Togo in soccer. This is happening at a time when Nigeria's chances of qualifying for the 2006 World Cup has become dicey.
Amiable and hardworking, Keshi is married with children. Surely, he is on the threshold of glory as a coach.
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