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Coach Profile: Togo's Stephen Keshi [Thu Sep 22nd, 2005]
There has been much talk about Togo's impressive form recently following some outstanding results in the 2006 African Nations Cup and World Cup qualifiers. In fact their top-flight performance in the competition has earned the team, which failed to qualify for last year's African Nations Cup, a place in the 2006 African Nations Cup finals in Egypt.
Their performance might also culminate in qualification for football's most prestigious tournament - the World Cup finals - for the first time. Now that things seem to be going well for Togo's Hawks, excitement has filled the air in anticipation of a World Cup berth.
Having briefly highlighted the recent achievements of the Togo national team, much credit goes to Nigerian coach Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, who has contributed a lot to the current form of the team. This is the man who has been able to reinvigorate the Hawks into a formidable squad and a force to be reckoned with.
The team's outstanding achievement currently leaves them in pole position at the top of the qualifying Group A with the likes of Senegal, Zambia and Mali. Having got to this stage, Keshi is expected to motivate his boys to go all out to reach the World Cup finals at the expense of Senegal, who are their closest rivals in the group and who also made an appearance in the 2002 World Cup finals.
Born in Nigeria on January 23, 1962, the former Super Eagles' captain - who is also fondly known as "Big Boss" - had a remarkable playing career and is also one of Nigeria's most famous footballers. He played division one football in his home country from 1979 to 1984 before moving on to Ivory Coast and later Belgium where he played for Anderlecht FC. During his time at Anderlecht, he won the Belgian Cup twice in 1988 and 1989. He also played for Strasbourg in France and later moved to USA before he finally quit his playing career.
On the international scene, the former defender played for Nigeria in five African Nations Cup finals in 1982, 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1994. Well respected and having a knack in undertaking a leadership role, Keshi spent thirteen years with the national team. He won the '94 African Nations Cup with Nigeria and was also fortunate enough to play in a World Cup tournament before his playing career ended. He made an appearance for the Super Eagles in the 1994 World Cup finals in USA where the team made it to the second round.
Well experienced in both African and European football, much as a result of his playing heydays, Keshi could not turn away from the sport completely after hanging up his boots. Instead, he decided to undertake coaching courses in the United States of America. This new profession he eventually used as a tool to further contribute to Nigerian football when he was part of the coaching staff there.
While many normally face highs and lows in their professions, thing did not work out well with Keshi while he was coach of Nigeria's U-20 side. The team had a poor performance when they participated in the CAF U-20 championship in Ethiopia in 2001.
The 43-year-old was assistant coach – alongside then head Coach Amodu Shaibu - and guided the Super Eagles in the 2002 African Nations Cup in Mali and also qualified the team for the 2002 World Cup Finals in Japan/South Korea after Dutch coach Jo Bonfrere was sacked. However, he and the coaching staff were relieved of their duties after Nigeria's poor campaign at the Nations Cup finals, which could only but earn them the bronze medal.
Now with Togo, Keshi has not only shown his competence as coach, but transformed Togo from a team considered minor to one of Africa's most in-form teams. The team have not only shone in the qualifying campaign but has also fared well in international friendly matches.
In August, Togo beat North Africans Morocco 1-0 in France in a warm-up match prior to the Hawks' 3-0 thrashing of Liberia's Lone Stars in a World Cup qualifier. These wins have also boosted the team in the recent FIFA Rankings where they gained twelve points and currently rank fifty-four in the world.
Coach Keshi has already earned a lot of praise, not only in Togo but also from his Nigerian fans and some of his former colleagues. All eyes will be keenly focused on whether he will be able to qualify the team for the World Cup finals with just one more match to be played.
His tenure with the Hawks started in April 2004 when he signed a two-year deal and took over the team from Brazilian Antonio Dumas. Since then, he has been able to move things in a positive direction in an attempt to get them qualified for two top competitions, having already accomplished one – the 2006 African Nations Cup finals.
So far in Group A, the Hawks have registered six wins in nine qualifying matches played, securing two draws and one loss, which many might agree is an impressive record.
Currently at the top of the group with twenty points, a draw from their last ninety minutes of play against Congo in October will be enough for them to book their tickets to Germany in 2006. Should this happen, Keshi would become the first Nigerian coach to qualify a foreign team for the World Cup.
Many Nigerians might now be proud that their fellow countryman and former Super Eagle is already flying high with another national team and hope that he would some day be given another opportunity to render his coaching services to Nigeria.
Ibrahim Dabo
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