AFTER a heart-warming goalless draw against the Menas of Niger Republic, last Wednesday in Niamey, the Nigerian national side; Super Eagles returned to camp on Monday with home-based team skipper, Chigozie Agbim, the first to arrive camp.

Obviously, leading by example, Agbim strolled into camp unnoticed at about 1pm and was received by Team Coordinator, Emmanuel Atta, who quickly sorted out his accommodation arrangement that was supposed to be non-existent after only two days off the Bolton White Apartment abode of the team.

After Agbim, came Kano Pillars striker, Sani Sanusi, the one his teammates like to call Ronaldinho, who came about an hour after Agbim, after then there was a deluge of players from all the clubs, with Sunshine Stars and Kano Pillars with four players each still topping the list of clubs with the highest number of invited players.

And following several queries about the psychological readiness of the team, despite the huge pep-talk that Head Coach Stephen Keshi delivers daily, Team Psychologist, Dr Robinson Okosun, says there is no cause for alarm as the team is in the best frame of mind for the game against Liberia.

“We have players who are exposed and have been in constant touch with my office. Luckily for me I also have a Head Coach, who doubles as a super psychologist and motivator to the players, which has made my job easier. I don’t think there should be any fears about the state of mind of our players whether foreign or local based because what we are going for now is to qualify for the Nations Cup and the World Cup and do very well at both tournaments”, he declared.

Meanwhile, FOLLOWING an uproar at the weekend that higher authorities in sports in the country are making moves to monitor every activity of the national team, the Super Eagles ahead of its crucial Nations Cup qualifier against Liberia, Eagles Head Coach, Stephen Keshi, says it’s a normal development, but pleads that he should be given peace of mind to do the job entrusted to him.

Keshi, who has midwifed a near perfect blend between home based players and their foreign counterparts since he took over the national team, says he would rather not comment on the interest of top sports officials at all levels in the national team, since every Nigerian has a right to ask and make input into the team. “But what I will plead and ask for is to be left alone to concentrate on my job as the national coach. I will take advise from every well-meaning Nigerian, but I will not take insults and distractions”, he declared.

The Big Boss, as Keshi is fondly called, said his team is on course to qualify for both the Nations Cup in South Africa and the World Cup in Brazil, but is aware that certain people will still want to cause disaffection in the national team. Asking such individuals to leave the team alone and join in the task of building a national team that Nigerians will be proud of.

He again acknowledged the huge support he has received from the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation, led by, Aminu Maigari and all other stakeholders and said with such support the team is united in its quest to return to the pinnacle of African and indeed global football.

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