Omeruo reflects on Keshi’s influence, urges swift appointment of new Eagles manager

Super Eagles veteran defender Kenneth Omeruo has dived into the impact of the late Stephen Keshi on his career, whilst admonishing the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to swiftly appoint the team’s next head coach.

According to Omeruo, Keshi handed him a priceless opportunity as a 19-year-old when he was selected as a regular starter over Joseph Yobo at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) where Nigeria emerged victorious.

Omeruo would go on to start all of Nigeria’s games (six) at the AFCON 2013, alongside now-retired Godfrey Oboabona.

“Stephen Keshi was the biggest influence in my life as a player,” Omeruo told Brila Media.

“When he picked me ahead of Joseph Yobo at the AFCON I was really surprised and that was a big moment for me.”

The Kasimpasa defender continued with an assessment of coach Finidi George’s management of the Super Eagles for the friendlies against Ghana and Mali in March.

“I don’t know about everyone, but for me and a few others, he did well. He was short-staffed, only one coach working as an analyst, training without an assistant.”

While Omeruo praised the Enyimba manager for a job well done, he opined that he blew his chance at laying a permanent claim on the Eagles’ job after failing to rotate the squad evenly

“I like that he kept the system played at the AFCON, but if I were him against Mali I would have played everyone; give every player a chance to play and maybe things would have turned out differently and he would be a strong contender for the job.”

The NFF announced today that the 2026 World Cup qualifier between Nigeria and South Africa will be played on Friday, June 7, at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.

The announcement coincides with the rumours that claimed the football body’s technical committee will meet in Abuja next week Tuesday to decide on a new head coach for the Super Eagles