Equatorial Guinea announced Saturday the appointment of an Argentine, Esteban Becker, as the coach of her national team, thereby putting to rest speculations about Keshia being in pole position to clinch the coach job.
Many Nigerians had wished that the Keshi, popularly known as ‘big boss, by Nigerian football fans, got the foreign job in order to let Nigeria Super Eagles be.
After strings of mediocre performances by Nigerian Super Eagles under Keshi’s watch, which culminated in Nigeria’s elimination from the 2015 African Cup of Nations tournament which is commencing in a few days in Equitorial Guinea, most football fans want him out of the Super Ragles job.
Though the Nigerian Football Federation had earlier given him the boot, shortly before Nigeria’s final match in the AFCON 2015 qualifiers, the presidency allegedly prevailed on NFF to bring him back.
Since then, his position is not clear. Through he has been out of contract with the NFF, there been indications that the football authorities may bring him back to please the political interests backing the retention of the ,big boss’.
When Equitorial Guinea opted not to renew coach Goikoetxea’s contract, which expired on 31 December, Keshi sought to cashow in on the opening to make a make respectable exit from the Nigerisn job.
The country’s football association (FEGUIFUT) claims Goikoetxea breached his contract by not travelling to Portugal with the team on 16 December.
As a result Goikoetxea was sacked, a decision sanctioned by new FEGUIFUT president Andres Jorge Mbomio. Following the sack of the former handler, the 2013 Afcon-winning Keshi was widely speculated as his possible replacement. With the latest development from that country, Keshi whose place in Nigeria is still shrouded in uncertainty remains in limbo.
Equatorial Guinea have just over two weeks with the team before they kick off the Nations Cup against Congo on 17 January.
Argentine Becker, 50, was previously in charge of Equatorial Guinea’s women’s team, who he led to the 2012 Nations Cup title.
As well as facing Congo, Becker would lead his new team out against Burkina Faso and Gabon in Group A.
Equatorial Guinea stepped in as last-minute replacements for original hosts Morocco, who failed in their plea to the Confederation of African Football to postpone the tournament because of fears over the potential spread of the deadly Ebola virus.
As a result Equatorial Guinea were handed Morocco’s place at the finals, despite having been eliminated during qualifying after they were penalised for fielding an ineligible player.
