Bob’s Your Uncle
Hello everyone!
Everyone likes a bit of good news, so here goes. Bebeto’s Tears has recently passed 500 views, and it’s to your credit. Words are not enough. Eloquence swiftly becomes lunatic raving without an audience, so thank y’all for the time invested. It’ll get better.
Before you go any further, a caveat. At the time of writing this, I am in the throes of sleep, so I apologize in advance if this comes out unreadable.
This is me…
Coach Stephen Keshi took over at the helm of the Super Eagles at a time when many (myself included) were still questioning the wisdom behind the sacking of Samson Siasia. The U-20 World Cup and Olympic Games silver medal-winning coach had after all not lost a competitive game in his tenure. At the time, his dismissal seemed a knee-jerk reaction to the disappointment of missing out on a Nations Cup ticket to Guinea.
This was always Keshi’s dream job, but he certainly had to take the scenic route, at various times being assistant manager, most notably to coach Amodu Shuaibu. He was never trusted with the plum job, perhaps due to the perception of him as a hard man, a tag that has stuck since his playing days and is referenced in his nickname “The Big Boss”.
However, when he made proof of his abilities by qualifying unfancied Togo for their first and only ever World Cup appearance in 2006, the world stood up and took notice. After a stable run as Mali head coach, he could no longer be ignored when his Holy Grail became accessible.
Good things come to those who wait…
So, what kind of a manager is Keshi? During the FIFA Confederations Cup, he cited Spain boss Vicente del Bosque as an inspiration. He said he had been given the opportunity to “share ideas” with the veteran from Salamanca, and had been encouraged to carry on in the direction he (Keshi) was going.
Possibly Keshi may not have seen it that way at the time, but he and del Bosque have a lot more in common than most.
Worlds apart? I think not!
In terms of perception, they are polar opposites. Vicente del Bosque is seen and thought of as a mild mannered, self-effacing man, the embodiment of a favorite Uncle; Stephen Keshi is seen as brash and difficult to get along with. This, however, may not be entirely accurate. In all likelihood, it is simply a manifestation of an intense will to win, a common thread in both men.
In his time as Super Eagles gaffer, Stephen Keshi has largely kept faith with a certain group of players, amidst popular clamor. His continued inclusion of certain players who many observers would rather do away with, parallels some of the difficult choices his Spanish counterpart has had to make. Both are fiercely loyal to their favorites, and both prioritize the team over the individual. Keshi has told all who care to listen that team harmony trumps talent in his book, a stance which in turn has earned him the loyalty and commitment of his players in return.
While it may not sit well with most, this approach broadly makes sense. It is worth noting that in international football, there is far less time to prepare between games and build team chemistry relative to club football. As such, prioritizing players who are easy to work with and already familiar with each other is a sure way to make a difficult job easier. Sadly, these has left some fan favorites in the lurch.
Not you, Yakubu.
Like del Bosque, Keshi’s tactical ability is often belittled, especially in this age of studious coach types. While he will never be a Jose Mourinho (thank God!), Keshi possesses the nous to come up with a broad strategy and the clarity of mind to communicate it to his players. He varies his approach intelligently, accounting for game conditions such as poor pitches (where he instructs the team to play more directly and hit the ball into the channels; see most of our qualifiers) and adverse climate (where the team sits back, conserves energy early and ups the tempo around the 60th minute mark; see away game v Ethiopia). He also makes subtle changes in game to change the team dynamic (see the introduction on Nosa Igiebor away to Ethiopia); just as the introductions of Fernando Llorente in the quarter final, and famously Jesus Navas in the 2010 World Cup final did for del Bosque.
What else do these two have in common? They’re winners. Coach Stephen Keshi ended a 19-year wait for the African Nations Cup title; Vicente del Bosque brought the World Cup to Spain for the first time in their history in 2010. The saying goes that you can’t argue with success, and as long as these two keep winning, their critics might as well be chirping crickets. Slip up, and the knives will come out. But these men already know that, and like all born winners, they have the courage to stay true to their convictions.
Disagree? Engage me in the comments section below, and let’s have your opinion. You can also follow me on Twitter @deldorisma and let’s share ideas. Cheers!
