Nigeria Daily News: Keshi backs Mikel, Moses, Utaka for CAF awards

Keshi backs Mikel, Moses, Utaka for CAF awards
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Staff  on 06/10/2012 15:27:00


*Calls for support against Liberia
BY JACOB AJOM
Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi has backed the three national team players
nominated for the 2012 Africa Footballer of The Year Award by the Confederation
of African Football, Thursday.
Speaking in a chat with Sunday Vanguard Sports, the national chief coach said,
“It is good. I hope all of them get it because it has been a long time a
Nigerian won the award. It is good for the country.”
Keshi said he hoped Mikel Obi, John Utaka and Victor Moses would see their
nominations as a challenge for better performance. “It is up to them to seize
the situation and justify their nominations. On my own, I cannot tell you
whether this will serve as a motivation or not. It is up to them,” he said
repeatedly.
Keshi also spoke on the impending second leg tie of the 2013 AFCON qualifier
against Liberia on October 13. “We are working hard. What we are doing now is
concentration, concentration and concentration.”
He said although it was painful that one of his central midfielders, Gabriel
Reuben would not be fit for the match, his team was not built around one player.
“That is why it is a team,” he said, adding, “When  one person is out,
the next person to him would have to step up to fill that gap. We must support
him.”
Keshi calls for the support of Nigerians, saying, “It is our country and I
expect everybody to rally round the team. I knoe every Nigerian wants the Eagles
to be in South Africa.”
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