TheCable

Super Eagles of Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has hit out at the media for tying his destiny to his current job.

Nigeria will play Congo and South Africa in a must-win game to ensure qualification for 2015 Africa Cup of Nations and though Keshi is focused on winning the games scheduled for Pointe Noire and Uyo on November 15 and 19 respectively, the Big Boss has said his future is not dependent on the Nigeria head coach job.

“I don’t think it is proper to say my fate is tied to this (Nigeria) job. My concern right now is the game against Congo, and not whether I will still be in charge of this team after the match against Congo or South Africa,” he told journalists in Abuja on Wednesday.

“I think you all need to stop this because my destiny is not tied to Nigeria. I came from somewhere (to take up the Nigeria job). It is wrong to say my destiny is tied here because this country is bigger than any individual. If I am not the Super Eagles head coach today, my life will still go on. Also, there are other places where I can go if I stopped being the coach of this country.

“But right now, I have a job to do and that is to ensure that the team qualifies the country for the Nations Cup. God forbid if we don’t qualify what will happen? It will not only affect Stephen Keshi, it will also affect you and every other Nigerian who loves this sport. So I think this is not about Stephen Keshi but about Nigeria. All I want from my countrymen is to pray for the team and not me because I am just one man.”

Keshi has been in charge of the team since November 2011 but the 52-year-old coach is yet to be offered a new contract since his first deal with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) ended after the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.