Keshi’s death causes shockwaves in Namibia

The death of Nigeria’s former superstar player and coach Stephen Keshi has rocked the football world.
Keshi died in the early hours of yesterday after suffering a heart attack, according to reports.
The former defender was 54 years old and according to his brother Ado, had shown no signs of illness.
“It is true, my brother has passed on. He has gone to meet his wife,” Ado said, referring to Kate, Keshi’s wife of 35 years, who died last year after a long battle with cancer.
Keshi was considered as one of the giants of African football as he made his mark both as a footballer and as a coach.
His mark was also felt in Namibia as he led the ‘Super Eagles’ in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying match at the Sam Nujoma Stadium in 2013.
The game was remarkable as it was the first match in charge for Ricardo Mannetti, who was given the reins –in an interim capacity at the time- of the Brave Warriors following the sudden resignation of Swede Roger Palmgren.
Mannetti recalls the event leading up to that game.
“Having to face Nigeria with all their stars was already a special experience,” he told Namibian Sun yesterday.
“And then to add more spice to it all, this great team was led by an intimidating figure in Keshi. He was like that as a player as well.
“It was a great honour for me as a young coach to have faced a legend and still manage to get a draw against Nigeria for the first time in Namibian history,” he said in reference to the evening match that finished with a 1-1 score line.
“That night, facing a legend like Keshi will always be special to me and the rest of the Namibians… football will forever miss you, Big Boss,” Mannetti concluded, using the moniker famously associated with Keshi.
In 2013, Keshi led his country’s team to victory in the Africa Cup of Nations.
A year later, Nigeria qualified to the Round of 16 of the World Cup in Brazil.
Keshi also coached other national squads, qualifying Togo to the 2006 World Cup and taking charge of Mali.
He played for Belgian club Anderlecht and Strasbourg in France as well as Stade Abidjan in Ivory Coast.
-Additional reporting Nampa/AFP

HECTOR MAWONGA