Keshi Returns To Abidjan With Memories

Nigeria head coach, Stephen Keshi, will head back to a familiar terrain in Abidjan when he leads the Super Eagles to face the Elephants of Ivory Coast in a 2014 African Nations Championship (Chan) qualifier this Saturday.
Stade d'Abidjan were the club Keshi played for in the mid-1980's.
Keshi, in his early 20s, won the Coupe Houphoet Boigny twice with Stade d'Abidjan and became a household name in the Ivorian city of Abidjan.
In spite of having played in the city of Abidjan about 27 years ago, Super Eagles spokesman, Ben Alaiya said Keshi still remains a popular figure in the Ivory Coast's economic capital.
Alaiya explained: "As early as 7am on Friday morning two young men claiming to be friends of Stephen Keshi arrived at the team’s Ibis Hotel, ostensibly to see the coach and relive old times. Sidibe, as one of them later identified himself, waited patiently until Keshi came down to see him.
"When he left, Keshi said he feels really at home as he has seen several people he met as a young player of Stade d’Abidjan."
However, the former Mali and Togo manager has shrugged off the pleasantries and memories of his time in Abidjan and is ready to lead his men to claim another scalp of the Ivorians.
“I enjoyed my time in Abidjan as a young player and it is good to return there but this time it will be to play against people who once loved me. They are a big footballing nation but I have got a work to do, so also does my team have a work to do," Keshi said.
Keshi has already showed that he is the head hunter of the Elephant killers after he led the Super Eagles to a 2-1 win over the Elephants of Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa earlier this year in spite of the odds stacked against his team.
The 51-year-old coach followed up the Afcon feat by guiding Nigeria to a 4-1 win over the Ivory Coast and this time in the first leg of the Chan qualification earlier in July.
But Keshi does not think the previous win will count if his Super Eagles this time made up of mainly players from clubs in the nation's Premier League fail to qualify for a first Chan at the expense of their Ivorian counterparts.
"Every match presents a different situation. No doubt we have the edge going into this match but we will go there and play like the first leg never took place," said Keshi to supersport.com.
Nigeria need to avoid a three-goal loss to qualify for the Chan for the first time.
South Africa will play hosts to the Chan next year.