TheCable

Emma Addo, the Ghanaian agent of Stephen Keshi, says Nigerians should be grateful to his client for overseeing “a generational shift” in the country’s football, which brought success on the pitch.

Keshi was relieved of his job after the team’s poor start to 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers but Addo has said the Super Eagles were under-performing when his principal was appointed coach in 2012.

“When Keshi took over, Nigeria just failed to qualify for the Africa cup of Nations. Before him, they had participated at the tournament without success for 19 years,” he said

“In less than a year, he not only qualified Nigeria for the Cup of Nations, he won it and took Nigeria to the World Cup as well; Nigerians should remain grateful to him.

“As a nation, Nigeria were underachievers before Keshi came on board; there was confusion as to how to phase out the under-performing bunch.

“Keshi oversaw a generational shift that brought in the likes of Omeruo, Onazi, Oboabona, Babatunde and a lot of them to replace the tired legs, what else?”

Keshi won the 2013 AFCON and also qualified the country for Brazil 2014 World Cup.