‘Stephen Keshi still waiting on NFF to resume work’

SUPER Eagles’ goalkeepers’ trainer, Ike Shorunmu, is optimistic that the senior national team would soon regain their lost status as Africa’s number one side despite the team’s unimpressive performance in recent friendly games.

Shorunmu told The Guardian yesterday that the tune up matches have given the technical crew the insight into the strengths and weaknesses of some new players in the team, arguing that Nigeria would get a formidable squad when the coaches finished the experiments with new players.

He, however, revealed that the Super Eagles’ assistant coaches, who have been handling the team in the absence of a substantive chief coach, were waiting on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to give Coach Stephen Keshi the nod to commence preparations for the African Nations Championship (CHAN), Nations Cup and World Cup qualifiers.

On the rising profile of home-based goalkeeper, Daniel Akpeyi, who shone brightly against South Africa in a recent friendly, Shorunmu said the Warri Wolves goalkeeper’s emergence was a welcome development, adding, however, that Captain Vincent Enyeama still remained Nigeria’s first choice goalkeeper.

He dismissed the rumour that Enyeama would soon quit the national team, just as he revealed that he had been working round the clock to discover more goalkeepers for the national team.

According to him, “The preparations for all the Super Eagles’ qualifiers have not started yet. I believe Keshi is still waiting on the NFF to give him the nod to commence preparations. Nigerians should not write off the Eagles yet… all the friendly games the team played has given the coaches the insight into the problems of the team. I believe when Keshi resumes work, he will be able to assemble the players he feels can deliver. On the goal keeping department, I will always select the best to mount the post,” he said.