LAGOS – A former Super Eagles defender, Bright Omokaro, on Friday urged the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) to work seamlessly with Stephen Keshi to build a formidable team rather than opposing him.
Omokaro told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the authorities should dwell more on a successful outing in the 2014 World Cup and curtail their penchant for unnecessary controversies.
Keshi and the NFA had been embroiled in one distracting issue or the other on how the job should be done by the coach.
The most recent of their incessant altercation was Keshi’s absence from the reception the president had for the Super Eagles after the 2014 CHAN tournament.
The NFA accused Keshi of travelling without their permission.
The recent Tom Tom roundtable parley Keshi had with sports editors in Lagos on March 25, on a day he was supposed to meet with the NFA’s Technical Committee added more to the furore.
“The basic problem is that they have started contradicting themselves and complicating issues for Keshi. I believe the coach knows his job.
“He was hired to qualify the team which he did. The NFF should give him space to do his job, technically he is in charge and technically he knows what the team needs.
“NFA should concentrate on the logistics needed for the Eagles to prepare rigorously and effectively for the World Cup,’’ he said.
Omokaro, who was a member of the silver winning Super Eagles squad at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco alongside Keshi, added that he was not happy at the development.
“I’m not happy with the way things are being represented in the media in recent times, they need to come together and settle things amicably.
“Other countries are reconsolidating their teams and working hard on getting in the best form for the World Cup in June.
“I believe they should sit and discuss the modalities surrounding the national team and all other concerns,’’ Omokaro said. (NAN)
