Stephen Keshi says he is vindicated for dropping the big boys from his squad to the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.
The Big Boss, as he is fondly called, excluded the likes of Osaze Odemwingie, Obafemi Martins and Taye Taiwo and picked players like Emmanuel Emenike, Sunday Mba, Ahmed Musa. Keshi watched his preferred crop on Wednesday, progress to the final of the competition and insisted it was not about skill, but efficiency.
“Most Nigerians didn’t understand, it’s not only skilful players that can do the job for you in a tournament. You want the mentality to be strong, you want team players, people that can really work for the team,” Keshi said after the 4-1 victory against Mali.
“Beyond that I know there’s a lot of potential for this team but it’s going to take a while to build and for them to understand the style I want them to play.”
Keshi blamed his team’s slow start in the tournament on fatigue and the fact they had not properly gelled before they left for South Africa. However, in the past few games, he says he is beginning to see more fluency.
He said: “When we started it was a little bit difficult because we were just coming together for the first time. I knew coming into the tournament, the first two, three games might be difficult because of fatigue.
“But there’s a lot of concentration and high level of discipline in camp and the atmosphere has been wonderful, everything has fallen into place.”
The last time Nigeria won the AFCON was in 1994, and Keshi was the skipper of the side. The former Togo manager, says both sides cannot be compared.
“That squad took five years, this one is only five weeks old. We’re just growing, don’t think we’re there and we can’t lose a game. Sometimes things go up and down, we’re still adding and subtracting. If I see any player that is very good and provides something tangible for my team, I will bring him in,” he affirmed.
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