AFCON 2017: Keshi lays down requirements for successful qualifiers

 Super Eagles handler Stephen Keshi has said that
dedication, loyalty, discipline and above all focus will be required from the
players that would be invited to prosecute the upcoming round of qualifiers for
the 2017 African Cup of Nations in Gabon.

After an unconvincing campaign that was the last qualifiers when the team failed to qualify for AFCON 2015. The 53 year old coach who is in his
second spell, has quickly come out to emphasis the need why his players must be
focus this time around in order to avoid the pitfalls of the last campaign.

The former Togo
and Mali
coach also stated that the summer is always a difficult time for players to
play competitive matches as several of them would be mentally tired following a
long European season. Speaking to sports daily, Complete Sports, the big boss
added:

“The summer time is the most difficult period you
want to ask players to come and play competitive games. But I want them to be
very disciplined during that period because I know they will want to go crazy
and have the rest they deserve,”

“But I will be talking with the players that will be
invited on the need for them to be disciplined to the cause and also remind
some of them where we found ourselves months back and what goals are set to be
achieved.

“If you are a top professional, if you are not a
selfish person, if you put the team in front of yourself and if you are here to
work 100 percent for me, for your fellow players and for the team, then we will
have a wonderful relationship,”

Nigeria will begin its qualifying campaign when they face Chad on June 20
at a venue yet to be decided. Followed by a trip to Dar re Salaam where they
will face Tanzania,
before a double header against the Pharaohs of Egypt.

The Super Eagles opened their last qualifying
campaign for AFCON 2015 with a 2-3 home defeat to Congo Brazzaville in Calabar in September,
which was followed by a nervy 0-0 draw with South Africa a couple of days later in
the rainbow nation.

In October, the bad start continued in Khartoum when they lost 0-1 to Sudan. Five days later at the Abuja
National Stadium two goals from Ahmed Musa and another from Aaron Samuel
ensured a 3-1 win after the Sudanese had earlier drew level.

In the final leg of the qualifiers, the Super Eagles
defeated Congo 0-2 in Brazzaville to cap what many believed to be a rescue act,
but it proved to be a false dawn as the team failed to secure the victory they
needed to secure qualification after they could only draw 2-2 against South Africa in Uyo, following a
last minute equaliser from Sone Aluko.

Perhaps mindful of the fact of what another bad
campaign would do to his reputation and the standing of the Super Eagles,
Stephen Keshi has in effect put down a marker on what is required of his
players when the qualifiers starts in June. 

Photo Credit: BBC