Who was Steven Keshi? – A great son of Africa

As the final burial rites for former Nigerian Football Coach Stephen Keshi get underway in Nigeria, soka25east.com looks back at his football career both as a coach and a player. Many people know Stephen Keshi the Coach but little has been been documented about his playing career at Club level. The Big Boss as he was fondly known can only be described as a football great.

1. Playing Career

Stephen Keshi was born on 23rd January 1962 in Azare, Bauchi State, Northern Nigeria.

Keshi began his professional football career at ACB Lagos in the year 1979 as a defender where he made 10 appearances for the team.

He then went on to play for  New Nigeria Bank between 1980 and 1984 making 42 appearances netting 4 goals. Keshi moved to Ivorian club Stade d’Abidjan in 1985 and a year later to town rivals African Sports.  He played 13 games for Stade d’Abidjan scoring 2 goals for them. At  African Sports, Keshi played 22 games scoring 2 goals, that was in 1986.

In the same year 1986 Stephen Keshi moved to Belgian Club K.S.C. Lokeren. He was at the club for only a year making 28 appearances with 6 goals under his belt.

His performances at Lokeren saw him attract interest of Belgian giants  R.S.C Anderlecht. He joined them in 1987 and was at the club for 4 years. Keshi played 99 matches for Anderlecht scoring 18 goals for them.

Stephen Keshi won the Belgian Cup in 1988 and 1989 at Anderlecht

In 1991 Stephen Keshi left Anderlecht to join RC Strasbourg. He was at the club for 3 seasons before joining R.W.D. Molenbeek in 1993.

Keshi’s playing career in Europe was nearing its end and subsequently he left for the United States in 1995 to join CCV Hydra, a team based in California. He later played for the Sacramento Scorpions In 1996 before he wrapped up his club career in 1998 at Perlis FA in Malaysia.

2. Super Eagles

Stephen Keshi was an integral part of the Nigerian National Team that won the Africa Cup in 1994. He earned 64 caps for the Super Eagles scoring 9 goals.

3. Coaching Career
While playing in the USA, Keshi trained as a football coach in 1996.

In 2001, the Big Boss was appointed coach of the Junior Super Eagles team at the African Youth Championship which served as a qualifying route to the FIFA Youth Championship but he failed to qualify the team.

In 2004, Stephen Keshi was appointed head coach of the Togo National Team. He qualified the team to the 2006 FIFA World Cup but was replaced by German coach Otto Pfister prior to the tournament following a dismal showing in the 2006 Afcon.

Keshi was later reappointed as coach of Togo in 2007 and went on to coach Mali from 2008 to 2010.

4. Nigerian National Team

Stephen Keshi was appointed head coach of the Super Eagles in 2011. He led the Super Eagles to glory in the 2013 Africa Cup on Nations becoming only the second person to win the trophy both as a player and a Coach. Keshi shocked the football world by submitting his resignation to the NFF just alafter his success with the Super Eagles but he reversed his decision a day later.

Stephen Keshi would later lead Nigeria to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. His contract expired after the World Cup and was not renewed.

Keshi had a heart attack and died en route to hospital on 7 June 2016 in Benin City, aged 54.

Football would be incomplete without mentioning the name Stephen Keshi. He will be remembered as a great Football Legend.

Soka25east.com salutes Stephen Keshi, “A True African Legend.”