Nigeria's coaches woke up to the shocking news
that Stephen Keshi died on Wednesday at the
age of 54.
He was the first Nigerian to make coaching
success abroad after he helped the tiny Togolese
national team reach the 2006 World Cup in
Germany before he was sacked and replaced
with German Otto Pfister, few months to the
tournament.
As a coach, Keshi led the Super Eagles to win
the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations becoming the
only Nigerian coach to have won the title and
the second African to win the trophy as player
and coach.
He equally won bronze with the country's home-
based team at the 2014 African Nations
Championship.
He later propelled the senior national team to the
last 16 of the 2014 Fifa World Cup in Brazil.
Tributes from football coaches in Nigeria have
been pouring in for the ‘Big Boss’, with Goal
highlighting contributions from the football
fraternity:
Former Super Eagles coach Adegboye Onigbinde,
who appointed Keshi as captain while in charge
of the senior national team, described him as a
son who had made an unforgettable mark.
"Everybody has a role to play during his own
time and Keshi did very well as a coach and
player," Onigbinde told Goal .
"He is like my son. If you remember, I made him
the captain of the Super Eagles seeing his
quality and high spirits.
"Nigerian football will miss him a lot. We have
lost a great figure. I just cannot talk much of him
because I still cannot believe my son [Keshi] is
dead," he said.
In a sad note, Super Eagles asisstant and Enugu
Rangers coach Imama Amapakabo said: "A true
Nigerian legend passes on. May the soul of
Stephen Okechukwu Keshi rest in perfect peace.
The Big Boss our heads are bowed for all you
gave us."
For former Super Falcons and Enyimba coach
Kadiri Ikhana, Keshi death is a big loss to the
coaching fraternity and he will be missed greatly
for his achievements.
"He has done his best. Since we have lost a
great person among coaches and in the Nigeria
football family," Ikhana told Goal.
"This is a loss that we didn't expect now. I was
hoping he would still be around a bit and give us
more ideas on how forge ahead in Nigerian
football. God's time is the best. We will miss him
greatly," he said.
While Edwin Okon who handled the senior
women national team while Keshi was in charge
of the men's team admitted he has lost a great
coaching friend.
"Keshi was a good friend especially when I was
in the Super Falcons and he was in charge of the
Super Eagles," said Okon.
"We discussed as coaches and exchanged ideas,
But it is a very shocking news this morning that I
woke up to hear that he has died. It is a rude
shock to me. I think he has a lot to offer Nigeria
with the few times we were together in Abuja.
"I believe we have lost a great coach in the
coaches association in Nigeria. I pray God will
give his family the fortitude to bear the loss," he
concluded.
Keshi was an outspoken manager who
championed the appointment of African coaches
into national team coaching jobs on the
continent.
He was survived by four kids and his age mother
ad
that Stephen Keshi died on Wednesday at the
age of 54.
He was the first Nigerian to make coaching
success abroad after he helped the tiny Togolese
national team reach the 2006 World Cup in
Germany before he was sacked and replaced
with German Otto Pfister, few months to the
tournament.
As a coach, Keshi led the Super Eagles to win
the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations becoming the
only Nigerian coach to have won the title and
the second African to win the trophy as player
and coach.
He equally won bronze with the country's home-
based team at the 2014 African Nations
Championship.
He later propelled the senior national team to the
last 16 of the 2014 Fifa World Cup in Brazil.
Tributes from football coaches in Nigeria have
been pouring in for the ‘Big Boss’, with Goal
highlighting contributions from the football
fraternity:
Former Super Eagles coach Adegboye Onigbinde,
who appointed Keshi as captain while in charge
of the senior national team, described him as a
son who had made an unforgettable mark.
"Everybody has a role to play during his own
time and Keshi did very well as a coach and
player," Onigbinde told Goal .
"He is like my son. If you remember, I made him
the captain of the Super Eagles seeing his
quality and high spirits.
"Nigerian football will miss him a lot. We have
lost a great figure. I just cannot talk much of him
because I still cannot believe my son [Keshi] is
dead," he said.
In a sad note, Super Eagles asisstant and Enugu
Rangers coach Imama Amapakabo said: "A true
Nigerian legend passes on. May the soul of
Stephen Okechukwu Keshi rest in perfect peace.
The Big Boss our heads are bowed for all you
gave us."
For former Super Falcons and Enyimba coach
Kadiri Ikhana, Keshi death is a big loss to the
coaching fraternity and he will be missed greatly
for his achievements.
"He has done his best. Since we have lost a
great person among coaches and in the Nigeria
football family," Ikhana told Goal.
"This is a loss that we didn't expect now. I was
hoping he would still be around a bit and give us
more ideas on how forge ahead in Nigerian
football. God's time is the best. We will miss him
greatly," he said.
While Edwin Okon who handled the senior
women national team while Keshi was in charge
of the men's team admitted he has lost a great
coaching friend.
"Keshi was a good friend especially when I was
in the Super Falcons and he was in charge of the
Super Eagles," said Okon.
"We discussed as coaches and exchanged ideas,
But it is a very shocking news this morning that I
woke up to hear that he has died. It is a rude
shock to me. I think he has a lot to offer Nigeria
with the few times we were together in Abuja.
"I believe we have lost a great coach in the
coaches association in Nigeria. I pray God will
give his family the fortitude to bear the loss," he
concluded.
Keshi was an outspoken manager who
championed the appointment of African coaches
into national team coaching jobs on the
continent.
He was survived by four kids and his age mother
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