A former Super Eagles coach, Christian Chukwu, has shown support to coach Stephen Keshi on his preparation for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, saying the former Togo coach should be given a free hand to select his team.
Chukwu told the News Agency of Nigeria that Nigeria abounds with talented players and as such Keshi could not be held to ransom by anyone for not being selected to represent the country at the continental championship.
The former coach also commended the Nigeria Football Federation for its proactive stance in the arrangements of logistics for the team.
"Keshi knows these players better than anyone else and he knows their abilities, so it will be wrong for anybody to impose any player on him, irrespective of the names," Chukwu said.
"The only thing I know is that Nigeria can do with or without any player. He believes in the ones he has called up because he believes they can give him results.
"The federation has done well by sticking to Keshi's proposals for Nations Cup and they have done everything possible to ensure that they do not derail."
Ex-international and former coach of the Golden Eaglets, Henry Nwosu, harped on a painstaking preparation for the tournament.
"With early preparation, I believe Keshi will have more time on his hands to properly assess the performance of his players," Nwosu said.
"That way, he can properly address all the problem areas in the team before the kick-off of the tournament in January."
