CONFED CUP: Is Keshi To Blame?

Nigerians still basking in the euphoria  of the AFCON victory in South Africa were in shock and tears as their darling team, the Super Eagles, crashed out of the Confederations Cup in Brazil winning only the game against Tahiti 6 – 1, and losing 1-2  and 0-3 to Uruguay and Spain respectively.

But the  Super Eagles’ former defender, Sunday Oliseh, thinks there is no need to cry over spilled milk and has put the blame squarely in Coach Stephen Keshi’s court. According to Oliseh, who also captained the Eagles in his heyday, it is a shock that the team which barely three months ago was crowned African champion had lost the core of the team and the coach is now experimenting with players from the domestic league and some unheralded players in obscure European leagues when this should not be the case.

Speaking shortly after the Eagles’ fall in the hands of the European and World champion, Oliseh noted that Keshi’s timing on experimenting with players is not in the best interest of the country with the World Cup just around the corner.

The SuperSports analyst while x-raying Nigeria’s performance noted that a situation where less than three months of the Super Eagles winning the Nations Cup, several players have been called up to play in the team in the World Cup qualifier and the Confederations Cup was not good enough.

“The Super Eagles as African champions disappointed many of her fans and the blame is that of Keshi, who in less than a year to the World Cup in Brazil is experimenting with players from the domestic league which is still far from being as competitive as it should be. We must face the truth and look ahead to the World Cup because the team cannot continue like this. The nucleus of the team is not there and that is a big minus for the Eagles. Nigeria cannot continue to experiment any longer, but concentrate on building a formidable team ahead of the World Cup.

Keshi’s side played attractive football at times at Fortaleza’s Estadio Castelao and created a clutch of clear-cut chances, only for their forwards’ composure to desert them at the crucial moment.

Source: Sun News