Stephen Keshi' A-Z Timeline As Coach Of Super Eagles Of Nigeria

Former Nigerian captain Stephen Keshi spent 36 months in the saddle as Super Eagles head coach until his reign came to an abrupt halt last Saturday when his two-year contract with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) was terminated for lacking "the required commitment to achieve the federation's objectives as set out in the coach's employment contract."

Supersport.com now takes the journey back to relive the time of the man who is called Big Boss due to his influence in Nigeria's national team during his days as captain. Interestingly, Keshi's managerial time with Nigeria came to an end just a day to the 21st year since he quit the Super Eagles as a player.

This writer attempts to capture all of the events involving the former Super Eagles coach from his first game to becoming an African-title winning coach till his last days as the manager of the Nigerian men's national team.


Nov 2, 2011: The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) names Stephen Keshi head coach of the Super Eagles to replace Samson Siasia who failed to lead the team to the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations. He was handed a three-year contract.

Nov 12, 2011: His first game in charge as head coach ended goalless against Botswana in an international friendly at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.

Nov 15, 2011: The Uche brothers, Kalu and Ikechukwu, scored for the Super Eagles as they won 2-0 in an international friendly against the then African champions, Zambia, at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna.

April 12, 2014: The Pharaohs of Egypt inflict a first defeat on Keshi's men in an international friendly at the Al-Maktoum Stadium in Dubai.

Oct 13, 2012: Keshi enjoyed his biggest win in an A-game when the Super Eagles thrashed Liberia 6-1 at the UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar en route to qualifying for the 2013 Afcon in South Africa.

Dec 2012: Three big players of the Nigerian squad -- Peter Odemwingie, Taye Taiwo and Obafemi Martins -- were dropped by Keshi from the provisional squad to the 2013 Afcon.

Dec 2012. Keshi and Odemwingie were involved in a media spat in which the latter said he felt "betrayed" by being left out of the team for the Afcon in South Africa in the coming year despite discussing with the coach his availability.

Feb 10, 2013: The Big Boss joined an exclusive list of Africans by winning the Afcon as a coach and player after the Super Eagles defeated Burkina Faso 1-0 through Sunday Mba's goal at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.

Feb 11, 2013: Just 24 hours after guiding Nigeria to win their third African title, Keshi announced his resignation on a South Africa radio, citing disrespect from the NFF.

June 17, 2013: Once again, Keshi enjoyed another big win with the Super Eagles -- this time against Tahiti at the Fifa Confederation Cup in Brazil. The Super Eagles defeated Tahiti 6-1 at the Estadio Mineirao in Belo Horizonte Estádio Mineirão, Belo Horizonte.

June 20, 2013: Three days later, the Nigerians had their 19-match unbeaten streak snapped by Uruguay who edged them 1-2 inside the Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador at the Confederation Cup in Brazil.

August 23, 2013: Belgian Tom Saintfiet calls Keshi a racists for comments he made on a United Kingdom-based African TV show, Vox Africa's Sports360, in which the Nigerian coach said: "He (Saintfiet) is not an African person, he is a white dude, he should go back to Belgium." Saintfiet reported the matter to Fifa later.

November 16, 2013: The Super Eagles under Keshi seal qualification to the 2014 Fifa World Cup in Brazil for a fifth appearance after defeating Ethiopia 2-0 in Calabar with Victor Moses and Victor Obinna Nsofor scoring the goals.

January 9, 2014: Keshi is named African Coach of the Year and deservedly so.



February 2014: The 53-year-old Nigerian coach reportedly rejects a foreign assistant and wants one of his assistants, Sylvanus Okpala, reinstated.

June 16, 2014: Keshi becomes only the second Nigerian to manage a team to the World Cup when the Super Eagles played a 0-0 draw with Iran at the Arena da Baixada in Curitiba, Brazil.

June 21, 2014: The Big Boss becomes the first Nigerian coach to win a World Cup match when the Eagles defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-0 through Peter Odemwingie's goal.

June 30, 2014: After the loss to France in the second round of the World Cup, Keshi reportedly announced his resignation as Nigeria head coach.

September 6, 2014: Keshi became the first Nigerian coach to oversee a team that would lose a game at home in 33 years after Congo stunned the Super Eagles 3-2 in 2015 Afcon qualifying game in Calabar.

October 16, 2014: It was reported that Keshi and his assistants have been relieved of their duties following a statement from the NFF.

October 30, 2014: The NFF reinstates Keshi. But reports in Nigeria suggest that the directive came from the country's government.

November 19, 2014: Nigeria fail to qualify for the 2015 Afcon with Keshi as head coach after a 2-2 draw with South Africa in a qualifying match at the Nest of Champions in Uyo.

April 2015: Keshi agrees to a two-year contract with the Nigerian FA nine months after the expiration of his first contract with his country's football federation.

July 4, 2015: The NFF terminates Keshi's two-year contract just after two months into it, citing lack of commitment from the former Mali and Togo manager.