Nigeria
head coach, Stephen Keshi has opened up to SuperSport.com that the
local-based lads were by far the best performers against Rwanda.
The
Super Eagles of Nigeria held their Rwandan counterparts to a goalless
draw in a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying in Kigali on Wednesday.
Keshi in the game against Rwanda started three local-based stars in Ejike Uzoenyi, Godfrey Oboabona and Azubuike Egwuekwe.
He also named four other NPL stars - Chigozie Agbim, Gabriel Reuben, Papa Idris and Uche Kalu - on the bench.
Keshi
was clearly impressed with Enugu Rangers' winger, Uzoenyi during his
chat with SuperSport.com and rated him above the rest of the starters
for the Nigerian squad.
The
Nigerian coach popularly called 'Big Boss' added that Uzoenyi was by
miles the top man ahead of the likes of Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Peter Osaze
Odemwingie and Ahmed Musa in performance during the game.
"Ejike
for me was our best player among those that started. He was the one
initiating almost every of our attacks even while we had the likes of
Yakubu, Osaze and Musa on the pitch.
"But
that doesn't mean Yakubu, Osaze and Musa and the rest of the squad
aren't good. Footballers at times do have their off periods and in this
case it happened to most of our foreign-based players and it only
justifies that we have talent back home in the local league," Keshi
remarked.
The
former Mali and Togo coach when prodded further on his plans to drop a
handful of foreign-based stars who did not lift their performance in
Kigali, Keshi denied outright such move.
"Suppose
Ejike didn't perform, will people also go to town to say I'm planning
to drop him and other local-based players? I'll tell you that all that
is mere speculation. I didn't tell anyone such. Because we are building
doesn't mean we will pull down the old side and bring in a new team
entirely. It's a gradual process in building a strong squad for the
country," Keshi reacted to reports claiming he plans to drop Yakubu,
Odemwingie, Dickson Etuhu and Joel Obi.
Keshi also said he is ready to keep the squad against Rwanda for subsequent games as he continues building the side.
The
50-year-old is also on the lookout for new addition to strengthen the
squad especially from the home front, as he believes his team are still
work in progress.
"We
have games coming up against Gabon and Peru, and I won't just wake up
and throw away this team. It's a building process we've started and it's
a long-term plan. I will be looking for players to bring into the side
to help out because we are not there yet," Keshi rounded off.
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