By JACOB AJOM
New Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi would do himself a world of good if he monitors, on a regular basis, matches of the Nigeria Premier League once the new season commences.

By doing so, he stands a chance of identifying a number of talents he can nurture and expose and take their places in the national team.

This was the advice from one time Super Eagles goalkeeper trainer, Coach Joe Erico who stated that Keshi had got a lot of work to do for the team to regain its lost glory.

In a telephone chat with Sports Vanguard, Erico said, “the coach has to look inwards. He can only do that by watching matches of the Nigeria Premier League and I know he can do it. In 2000 we assembled a lot of home-based players who were good and they gave their Europe-based counterparts a good fight.”

Erico who agreed that there was an urgent need for Keshi to find a solution to Super Eagles’ midfield, seen as the team’s weakest department, however, reasoned that exceptional midfielders were a rarity. “It is not common to find great midfielders. They come once in a while. It is the coach who can find them. But they don’t come easy.”

He noted that the likes of late Muda Lawal, Thompson Oliha, Jay Jay Okocha, Sunday Oliseh among others come once in a while and that the technical crew has to work extra hard for a new playmaker for the team. “The coach has to find a solution if the team must return to its exciting play as was the case in their hey days.”

Erico gave the team a pass mark for two matches the national team had played so far under Keshi have shown some positive indices. “The two friendlies have been very good. The players have demonstrated a better spirit, mobility is high and there is a new motivation.”