Super Eagles
Head Coach, Stephen Keshi has revealed his joy at being able to convince some
key players of the home based Eagles to delay their Europe moves till after the
CHAN Cup next month in South Africa.
Keshi said
in Abuja Wednesday that players like Sunday Mba, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Benjamin
Francis and Solomon Kwamba were almost too certain of leaving for clubs abroad
when the transfer window opens in January, but that he had been able to
convince them to stay till after CHAN.
"It is
difficult to keep these players back home from going to ply their trades in
Europe because they want to enhance their careers. We cannot stop them because
our league is not very bouyant", an elated Keshi said.
"I have
begged them to shelve their going abroad till after the CHAN cup in South
Africa in January and they have all agreed to stay and play for their country
before making their next career move," Keshi explained.
The Big Boss
who won the African Nations Cup as a player and as a coach said if the
established home based Eagles are allowed to go in January, Nigeria may not be
strong enough to challenge for the CHAN trophy.
He said the
job of raising a strong team for CHAN is made more difficult by the fact that
our league has been on break since October adding that the players lack the
sharpness they were noted for.
"The
other teams have the advantage of picking players from a running league but we
are working very hard to ensure that we knocked the boys into shape and in
competitive mood before the championship", he quipped.
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