Soccer4life takes a look at 5 reasons why they are doing so well.
1. UNITY AMONG THE TECHNICAL TEAM:
The Super Eagles of Nigeria have in a very long time not enjoyed this sort of harmony among the technical team before. The current technical team is made of Ex-internationals whom at one time in the career played along side the Big Boss Stephen Keshi in their Career. His Assistant Daniel Amokachi was a member of the 1994 Nations Cup winning side, so too is Ike Shorunmu the goal keeper trainer and Sylvanus Okpala. though the latter wasn't of the same generation with Amokachi and Shorunmu because played for Nigeria at the 1980 and 1988 summer Olympics.
2. THE CONSTANT TRUST AND ENCOURAGEMENT PROVIDED BY THE NFF PRESIDENT AMINU MAIGARI AND CHAIRMAN OF TECHNICAL COMMITEE CHRIS GREEN.
This current crop of the Super Eagles have been blessed by the present administration of Aminu Maigari, who have fought tooth and nail to make sure the Eagles are given every encouragement they need to succeed even when many made noise that Keshi would not succeed with his rebuilding plans, Maigari lead administration stood firmly behind him and gave him the go ahead, and also helped in luring star performer Victor Moses to player for the Super Eagles instead of the English under 21 which he would have been playing all his life just like Shola Ameobi and brothers.
3. KESHI MAN ON A MISSION.
Stephen Okeychukwu Keshi will always be remember in his playing days for his determination and zeal to see that things are being done well and in a professional manner. Keshi lead the Super Eagles as skipper during the latter days of his career and he Bossed the team around, which earned him the nickname the Big Boss. This attitude have seen Keshi take up big challenges as a coach and on most occasions been able to prove his critics wrong.
Keshi's return as the Chief Coach of Nigeria have seen him being termed Keshi the Man on a Mission because of the task he has at hand, a task which is to build a new team for the country. Keshi a member of the 1994 squad which took 5 years to build under then manager Clement Westerhoff, has been able to build a team that has reached the African cup of Nations final for the first time in 13years.
4. THE PRESENCE OF THE THREE WISE MEN
This time coming to the players themselves. Many times in the past, Nigerians have blamed players who put on the national colors of the Super Eagles for lacking commitment and zeal to player for their fatherland. This attitude which have continued to eat down into the heart of the Super Eagles no matter the crop of players invited to the team.
But since the emergence of three players whom i will call the three wise men, the Super Eagles approach to games have taken a drastic turn around. And those players are, Victor Moses, Emmanuel Emenike and no other than John Mikel Obi.
The character and quality possessed by this three players is something that have been lacking in the Super Eagles for a very long time. The only player to have shown signs of having such zeal is West Brom's want away striker Peter Osaze Odemwingie.
The presence of this three players on the pitch have turned the Eagles into a force to be reckon with, their presence don't only give we the fans confidence but their team mates and also makes them believe nothing can happen to them when they got this men on their side.
5. KESHI'S ABILITY TO HANDLE HIS BENCH WELL.
There is a common saying that games are won from the bench. Yes that is very much true, but let me also add here, games are won not by the substitution you make from the bench but by your ability to keep the players on the bench happy and by so doing they don't start sowing bad seeds in the minds of all the players in the camp.
I wonder if many of you have been able to re watch some of the games the Super Eagles have played of late. You will notice the joy and smiles on the faces of the players on the bench whenever the Super Eagles score a goal. And did you also notice that all the goal celebration of this present Nigeria Team have all taken place around the team's substitute bench? This are signs who look out for when you want to know a good Coach and one who is in control of His dressing room.
In this direction Stephen Keshi has not only scored a pass mark but is soaring on the Eagles wings.
With this five points i have listed out, I have no doubt in my mind that the Super Eagles will be the team to climb the podium come Sunday carrying the AFCON Trophy on their hands to erase the memory of the Nigeria/Ghana 2000 finals when the Eagles lost the cup to Cameroon thanks to the inability of the lines man to see the spot kick scored by Victor Ikpeba.
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