Sukazi said Keshi‚ the legendary Nigerian captain‚ defender and coach who died early yesterday aged 54 of an apparent heart attack‚ was intent on finding a job in South Africa’s Premier Soccer League.
Keshi’s wife of 35 years‚ Kate‚ had died after a prolonged fight with cancer in December‚ and the coach viewed South Africa as a change of scenery and his next challenge.
Keshi signed with Sukazi’s agency‚ Quality Talent (QT) Sports‚ in May‚ sparking speculation that he was bound for the PSL.
Sukazi said reports linking Keshi to Pirates as their next coach were pure speculation‚ but that if Bucs had opted not to renew current coach Eric Tinkler’s expiring contract‚ Keshi would have certainly been interested on the job.
“Before I left for Monaco on business last Thursday I made it clear that the Pirates rumours‚ which I think were speculation by the Nigerian media‚ were untrue.
“It was far from the truth‚” Sukazi said.
“If you had asked me if I thought Stephen would have been interested in coaching Orlando Pirates, my answer would have been: ‘Yes of course.’
“Pirates was a club which would have suited his profile.
“But we all know Pirates had not come out to say they had a vacancy.
“I think it would have been unfair to the Pirates coach to initiate things like these.
“And Stephen also realised that.
“But of course we have clever journalists who look for opportunities that might fit a guy of his calibre.
“And they realised that maybe Pirates would have been a destination‚ and started spreading rumours.
“But, yes, he would have been interested.
“He was a coach of great stature and Pirates are a club of great stature, so it would have been like for like.”
Keshi‚ nicknamed “Big Boss”‚ was a mountain of a man with a steely stare that could cow even the notoriously treacherous Nigerian football media.
He became popular with South Africans after winning the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in this country in 2013 with a young Nigeria squad.
He expressed respect for the football that then Bafana coach Gordon Igesund had instilled in Bafana Bafana‚ though he also took delight in dismantling Igesund’s team 3-1 at the 2014 African Nations Championship (Chan) in Cape Town.
Keshi had his verbal sparring matches with Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba as Nigeria were grouped with South Africa in the qualifiers for the 2015 Afcon.
But Mashaba had the last laugh as South Africa qualified for the finals in Equatorial Guinea at the expense of archnemesis the Super Eagles.
A coach of the stature of Keshi – who also had taken charge of Togo and Mali – would have been a fascinating addition to the PSL.
“He was well acquainted with our game‚ which he watched a lot.
“And he thought coming to South Africa would be a change of scenery for him‚” Sukazi said.
“He lost his wife in December and he needed a change and a new challenge.
“Coming to South Africa would have provided that.
