Brazil, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi has
resigned from his job with the Super Eagles,
following the team’s 2-0 loss to France in the
second round of the ongoing global soccer
showpiece in Brazil
-Yobo, Osaze, Enyeama Also Quit
Nigeria’s coach to the 2014 World Cup in
Brazil, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi has resigned
from his job with the Super Eagles, following
the team’s 2-0 loss to France in the second
round of the ongoing global soccer showpiece
in Brazil; while three veteran players in the
squad, Vincent Enyeama, Peter Osaze
Odemwingie and skipper Joseph Yobo also
announced their retirements.
The development came barely hours after the
Eagles were sent packing from the Mundial in
Brazil, as a 79th minute goal from a header by
Juventus of Italy youngster, Paul Pogba and
an own goal from Yobo spelt doom to Nigeria’s
hopes of becoming the fourth African team to
make it into the last eight of the globe’s soccer
showpiece.
At the end of the encounter in Brasilia, it was
lamentations all the way for the Eagles, as the
battling performances of Yobo and first-choice
goalkeeper, Enyeama all evening long ended
with both of them enacting costly howlers that
spelt an anti-climax for Nigeria’s ambitions.
Immediately after the final whistle, Yobo led
the tears of agony, parrying talk about his
century of international caps and chose to
speak about the promise of a rosy future for
the Nigerian side.
The Fenerbahçe of Turkey defender moaned:
"This is it. I've had some great years playing
for Nigeria and it has been a wonderful
experience, but it's time to face my family now
and concentrate on my club career.
“It is not about the caps I got; it’s about what
the team could have achieved. This is not the
result we wanted. We wanted to qualify for the
quarter finals but France had a good and took
it.
“Credit to them and to us as well. We played
well at the start but, after the first half, the
game changed. You look back and think you
could have done better.
“It’s a good experience this is a young team,
hopefully the experience will help us. I thought
we played well and I believe the players can
still grow.”
In the same vein, while Enyeama is next in line
to be Nigeria captain with the retirement of
Yobo, the Lille Metropole of France star says
that possibility will not come to pass.
Enyeama is six caps away from joining Yobo in
the century club, but insists he will not
consider it as a factor in whatever decision he
finally arrives at after holding talks with his
wife to determine his career future.
"It's a big prestige and honour to wear the
armband for the national team but I think I
want to take some time off and think about
whether I want to continue or not," Enyeama
told KickOffNigeria.com exclusively.
"I will have to sit with my wife and discuss it
and make a decision. Maybe I will take a few
months, maybe a few years. But I can tell you
that it is very possible that this could be my
last game."
Keshi spoke in similar vein, saying the future is
bright for the side, but admitted how hurt he
was that the squad could not make hay when
it mattered most against a shaky-looking
French side.
“I don’t merit to lose like this but this is
football. We can always compete with any
team, it depends on the heart desire. We can
play any team.
“It was a good game, but the way we lost is
not good. There can be improvement. There’s
a lot of room for improvement. It can be in the
next two years, this group is going to be a
beautiful team,” The Big Boss concluded.
