‘A NEW BEGINNING’: Keshi Officially Signs New Contract As Eagles Head Coach

Coach Stephen Keshi has signed a new two year contract as coach of the Nigeria senior national team.

The new deal will expire at the end of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon. Keshi’s immediate responsibility includes selecting a competent squad for the Afcon qualifying match at home to Libya on 13 June.

“First of all I want to thank God for this Day,” he told reporters at the official signing ceremony in Abuja on Tuesday. “I also want to thank Nigerians because a lot of them still have confidence in me.

“This is the time for us to come together to fight for this nation. I am begging you all to please put the past behind and let’s start afresh.”

NFF Technical committee chairman, Felix Anyansi-Agwu, said the board retains its “absolute confidence on the capacity of Stephen Keshi to take the Super Eagles to new heights.”

Here to Stay: Keshi Signs New Super Eagles Contract.
Here to Stay: Keshi Signs New Super Eagles Contract.

Anyansi-Agwu continued: “We plead with Nigerians to see this as a new beginning and support Keshi.”

NFF vice-president, Seyi Akinwunmi, also present at the ceremony, said Keshi’s assistant will be presented in due course.

The ex-Super Eagles skipper took the Nigeria coaching job in 2011 before quitting his position hours after leading the country to a third Africa Cup of Nations title in South Africa due to unprofessional relationship with his employers as at that time.

The ex-Togo and Mali coach rescinded his decision and took Nigeria to the 2013 Fifa Confederation Cup in Brazil and the World Cup in the same nation a year later.

Keshi’s contract expired following the Eagles’ elimination in the second round of the World Cup at the expense of France.

The 53-year-old was axed by the new administration of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) late last year, but Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan, delved into the issue and ordered the coach be reinstated, marking the beginning of his shortest and unproductive stint in charge of the side.

Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2015 Afcon in Equatorial Guinea after they failed to secure a crucial victory against South Africa in Uyo, eventually playing out a 2-2 draw with the Bafana Bafana.

When quizzed about the terms of his new contract, Keshi replied: “Am okay with it, we’re good.”

He added: “It’s passion that got me into football, it’s not the money. Then if my passion is still in there, hopefully we’ll make it.”