Kalu wants 4-year deal for Keshi

. Recommends Emenalo, Okpala as assistants.

Former Abia State governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu has thrown his weight behind coach Stephen Oke­chukwu Keshi to remain as Super Eagles boss.

According to Kunle Oyewunmi, the special adviser Media, to Kalu, the coach should be handed a new four -year contract.

Kalu’s backing is cam­ethe backdrop of uncertain­ty over Eagles’ preparations for the 2015 Nations Cup and is a bold step towards sustaining pressure on the need for continuity.

He said:” There should be no vacuum. I want the football federation to keep Keshi. He must learn from his mistakes. This is not the time to hire a new coach. Rather, Mike Emenalo and Sylvanus Okpala should be engaged to work with him”.

The ex- governor advised that Keshi’s designation should be changed to accommodate his former teammates so that all tacti­cal deficiencies could be plugged.

“Keshi could become technical adviser, Emenalo takes the position of chief coach, while Okpala as­sumes the responsibility of assistant coach. That combi­nation would be unbeatable, Kalu stressed.

“Emenalo knows so much about modern club football and is tactically sound. Okpala sees a lot from the bench too,” he added.

He also prayed the NFF to send Keshi to Germany on a three-month refresher course in a bid to take Nige­rian soccer to the next level.

“That is what he needs. The Germans have a lot to offer in terms of modern soccer technology. You saw what their squad did to Brazil. That should be the next destination point.”

He also advised Keshi on the way forward.” There should be two standing national teams. One must comprise players from the local league. It does help a coach when he has to rely entirely on Europe-based footballers to prosecute games. It showed in Brazil. Home- based defenders could have done a better job at the World Cup. Out-of favour striker Ike Uche was not left out. That was one costly mistake Keshi made.

“Eagles must be full of players who can score goals. I ’m sure we have not seen the best of that young man. Keshi must change his mind. We have not seen the last of Uche. We should start preparing for Russia 2018 now. Time waits for no one,” Kalu stressed.