Courtesy Ministry of Education, Science and Sports)
Lome, March 23, GNA - Steven Keshi, coach of the Togolese
national team, the Hawks says African football was on her way to
achieving success in terms of producing and nurturing future football
talents.
He told the GNA Sports in Lome that "the little that I have seen
in the ongoing U-17 Championship here in Togo gives me great hope that
we are on our way.
"All I see around me are great talents, fine potentials and
incredible teams that must represent our hope as a continent. All I
can wish for is that these players will be nurtured well and kept
together for our common good.
"You only have a chance to get the best out of a team when you
put them together and give them the chance to work as a team".The 1994
African Nations Cup Winner told the GNA Sports that the future looks
good for Africa and the priority must be to maximize the potentials
exhibited by most of the players in the competition.
"Sadly, we are used to abandoning players so quickly after each
competition and that remains our bane. "The time has come for us to
depart from that era and ensure the young boys and girls enjoy the
best of togetherness in our quest to rule the world through the
globular leather soon".
Coach Keshi could not hide his disappointment about Ghana's
inability to make it to the finals of the tourney which Togo hosts as
the debutants.The Ghanaians lost 1-2 to Togo at the semi-final stage
in a manner Keshi deemed was the most surprising.
"I was expecting Ghana in the final and could not believe my eyes
about how they lost out like that. But anyway, such is football. It's
full of surprises".
The Nigerian will be parading his team against Sierra Lone in
an African Cup of Nations qualifier at the national Wembley at Kegue
on Saturday.
23 March 07
