TheCable

Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, has revealed that insecurity in some part of Nigeria, particularly in the North-East, affects the focus of his players.

Midfielder Ogenyi Onazi once recalled how he was 15 minutes away from being consumed by twin blasts that killed more than 200 people in Jos, Plateau State; while defender Efe Ambrose, who is from the northern city of Kaduna, said he still felt an affinity with the abducted Chibok girls.

Speaking during an interview with ESPN, their boss,Keshi, stated that some of the players and members of his technical crew have close relatives and friends in the affected areas, and they are bothered about their safety.

“Directly the crisis is not affecting us, but indirectly it is affecting us, because some of us have relatives in the affected areas and we are constantly worried for their safety,” he said.

“However, we have a duty to our country, and we will not allow the security situation affect our preparation.”

Keshi also claimed that the whole team is 100 per cent focused on performing successfully in Brazil.

“We want to have a successful World Cup campaign in Brazil so as to bring back smiles to the faces of Nigerians, and that is what we are focused on doing,” Keshi said.

The former Super Eagles captain also commented on leading the national side to the World Cup.

He said he was glad to have finally achieved that objective after being denied the opportunity to do so with Togo national side in 2006 despite qualifying the team for the tournament.

“It is the dream of every coach to lead a team to the World Cup. I have qualified two teams to the World Cup, before but have not had the opportunity to lead them to the tournament.

“However, I never stopped believing and I kept going; and here I am today leading Nigeria to the World Cup.”

The Super Eagles kick-off their World Cup campaign against Iran on Monday June 16, 2014, at Arena da Baixada, Curitiba.