Keshi wants Warriors job

By Robson Sharuko
NIGERIAN coach Steve Keshi, whose biggest achievement as a gaffer was to lead little Togo to the 2006 World Cup finals, has instructed his agents to try and strike a deal for him to become the substantive coach of the Warriors.
The 49-year-old is currently unattached, after parting ways with Mali following the Eagles’ disappointing show at the 2010 Nations Cup finals in Angola, and has been doing consultancy work in the media and other football-related fields.
Keshi, a former Super Eagles’ skipper who led his country to Nations Cup glory, was linked to the Warriors’ job when Sunday Chidzambwa quit his post last year and forced Zifa to open the door to a host of applicants.
The Nigerian coach did not apply for the Warriors’ job last year but that did little to blow away the speculation that he was in the running for the post and Keshi was even forced to issue a press statement to clarify his position.
However, even as he denied any links to the Warriors’ job, he left the door open for a possible union with Zimbabwean football in the future.
“There have been reports linking me to various African countries and I am happy to work anywhere in Africa, so long as the team has big dreams,” he said then.
“Language and culture have never been barriers as I am fluent in French, having played and lived in Cote d’ Ivoire, Belgium and France and coached in Togo and Mali.
“Zimbabwe speaks English and they impressed me in their pre-World Cup friendly with Brazil. They have the basics and, with my experience in Africa, surely it will be an opportunity.”
Now Keshi’s agents have made the first move to try and squeeze their man into the picture after learning that Zifa were struggling in their bid to engage a substantive coach of the Warriors.
Complications blighted their move for Tom Saintfiet, who was their first choice, after the Department of Immigration turned down an application for the Belgian’s work permit while the deal to bring back Charles Mhlauri is now hanging in the balance.
David Meshioye, who is Keshi’s African representative, said they sent in an official application for the job on Wednesday.
“We are interested in the Zimbabwe job and Keshi is available right now,” said Meshioye.
“We have been trying to get in touch with the football leaders in Zimbabwe over this issue to see if we can get a deal done. We have sent in an application for the job.”
Keshi’s camp has been closely following the developments related to the Warriors’ coaching post and they were certain that Mhlauri had landed the job.
But with doubts now being cast over Mhlauri’s comeback story, amid a host of issues that remain unresolved with time ticking away, Keshi and his handlers believe they could squeeze a deal.
They also believe that Keshi stands in good stead, in terms of the Warriors’ 2012 Nations Cup campaign, because of his previous stint as Mali coach.
The Warriors have two make-or-break ties against the Eagles of Mali, beginning with the first one in Bamako on March 27, followed by the next one in Harare on June 5, before completing their campaign with matches against Liberia in Harare and Cape Verde in Praia.
Keshi worked with most of the current Mali senior national team players from April 2008 to February 2010 when he was fired after the Eagles, low on confidence and chaotic in their approach, fared badly in the 2010 Nations Cup finals in Angola and were booted out in the group stages.
His biggest success came as coach of Togo as he led the little West African nation to its first appearance at the World Cup finals in Germany in 2006.
Having begun his work with the Togolese in 2004, Keshi became a national hero in Togo as he led them to big wins and a dream place in Germany despite leading a team that had as much talent as it had rebellious characters and a chaotic national football leadership.

Amid the euphoria of World Cup qualification, with inflated egos of both the players and administrators ruling the roost, Keshi was sacrificised before the start of the tournament and replaced by German coach Otto Pfister who, ironically, applied for the Warriors’ job.
Pfister and his team were a disaster in Germany, with players staging a strike over outstanding bonuses, and Togo’s dream maiden show turned into a nightmare.
Keshi briefly returned to Togo in 2007 but then left to become the coach of Mali.
Following his dismissal by the Eagles, he was heavily linked with the Warriors’ job when Chidzambwa walked away, calling time on his term of office after finally running out of patience with a football leadership that owed him thousands in unpaid dues.
But Keshi said was surprised by the speculation related to his links to the Warriors.
“I was as surprised as anyone else. A friend called me and asked about Zimbabwe and I said I didn’t know what he was talking about,” said Keshi.
“I played all over Africa and have a lot of good friends in the continent, so it’s possible someone loves the work I have been doing with my recent coaching exploits.
“Zimbabwe has a great deal of talent and the potential to do as well as Togo, though they are going through a rough patch. I played against Zimbabwe in 1980 when they just got independence and they beat us 2-0 in that friendly.
“However, they have struggled to keep up with the big boys, narrowly missing out in the last stages of World Cup qualifying.”
Keshi played for Nigeria between 1983 and 1995 and rose to become the Super Eagles skipper and leading them to Nations Cup glory in 1994 when they defeated Zambia 2-1 in an epic final in Tunisia.
A few months later Keshi also led the Super Eagles to a credible show at the 1994 World Cup finals in the United States where, powered by the firepower of Rashid Yekini, they came within minutes of eliminating eventual finalists Italy in the second round.
Keshi, who played his club football in Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Belgium, France, the United States and Malaysia, started coaching national teams at the turn of the millennium and has turned himself into one of the most respected coaches on the continent.