adminand captain of the national team when they won the African Cup for the second and last time at the El Menzah Stadium in Tunis 19 years ago.
Rocked by an early Zambian goal, the Super Eagles fought back to win 2-1 on the back of an Emmanuel Amunike brace and beaming Keshi was presented with the trophy that symbolises African football supremacy.
However, as Keshi prepares Nigeria for a Group C showdown with Ethiopia tonight at 7pm at Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace in South African mining town Rustenburg, his coaching failures rather than his playing successes will concern him.
Twice before he has taken a country to the Cup of Nations tournament and both Togo (2006) and Mali (2010) were eliminated after the mini-league first phase of the African football showpiece.
Togo lost all three matches in Egypt and Keshi was fired soon after, depriving him of the chance to take the Sparrow Hawks to the 2006 World Cup having successfully steered them through a long, tough series of eliminators.
He had more joy in charge of Mali four years later with a win, a draw and a loss, but after coming from four goals down with 12 minutes left to hold hosts Angola, a loss to Algeria cost them a last-eight place, and the coach his job.
Known as “Big Boss”, Keshi arrived in South Africa this month with Nigeria aware that he was in charge of a country with a remarkably consistent Cup of Nations record — 13 top-three finishes in 16 appearances.
But if Nigeria, who have conceded late goals in 1-1 draws with Burkina Faso and defending champions Zambia, lose to unpredictable Ethiopia they will be eliminated after the first round for only the third time. — AFP
Online Reporter