Says players desperate to impress
Assures better outing against USA
Super Eagles’ head coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, came down hard on his wards when he said the team did not play to style in the international friendly against the Greece national side that ended goalless in Philadelphia, USA, yesterday morning.
Keshi said at the post match conference that the team played unlike itself in the first half and only start to play to style 15 minutes to the end of the game.
“It’s a game we should have won easily but here we are not playing to our style. We play possession football and press the opposition to give up but we didn’t do that till towards the end of the game. However, it is part of the learning curve and we will get there before the World Cup starts.
On players’ output, Keshi said all the players picked were desperate to impress in the game against Greece but noted that when such happens, the manager has to understand the realities. Speaking specifically on Osaze Odemwingie, Keshi said the player wants to give what he thinks he has not given in the last two years and in the process made mistakes.
“Osaze is one of our versatile players who can play anywhere in the forward line and he tried to give his all against Greece, but it was simply not his day, even when I shifted him to the right wing he kept pushing but as a footballer, myself I knew he has to rest and give his best at the World Cup,” he further noted.
He also praised the output of skipper Joseph Yobo, who played in the second half of the game describing him as sharp and ready to go. “Of course, that’s why he is the leader of the team.”
When asked about what to expect in the game against USA, the gaffer declared: “I expect a better game from my wards. With Jurgen Klinsmann in charge, we expect a little bit of German mentality but we have a Nigerian antidote and we hope to see a better game”.
The Super Eagles left for Jacksonville, Florida yesterday afternoon, with the Keshi promising that his wards will give their best against the Yankees.