Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi and Ahmed Musa at the 2013 African Cup of Nations. Rebecca Blackwell / AP
Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi and Ahmed Musa at the 2013 African Cup of Nations. Rebecca Blackwell / AP
Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi and Ahmed Musa at the 2013 African Cup of Nations. Rebecca Blackwell / AP
Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi and Ahmed Musa at the 2013 African Cup of Nations. Rebecca Blackwell / AP

Football

Nigeria ‘Big Boss’ Stephen Keshi looking for another feather in cap at World Cup 2014

After delivering an African Cup of Nations title in 2013, Stephen Keshi - a self-avowed optimist - has his sights set on bringing Nigeria to new World Cup heights.

Associated Press

April 10, 2014

  • English
  • Arabic

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi lifted Africa’s fallen giant to the continental title after two decades of underachievement, and lived up to his “Big Boss” nickname by retaining control even after the national federation threatened to fire him midway through the tournament.

When Keshi led Nigeria to last year’s African Cup title, he became only the second man to win it as a player and coach. For Nigeria, it ended a 19-year trophy drought and enshrined Keshi – the 1994 African Cup-winning captain – as a football saviour who delivers titles whether playing or coaching.

It was quickly forgotten by Nigeria Football Federation officials that they tried to get rid of Keshi before the quarter-finals of the continental championship.

“I’m an optimistic person. I rarely think about negativity,” Keshi said after lifting the trophy.

Now, Keshi is expected to take his country to the quarterfinals of the World Cup for the first time, something he came within two minutes of as a player before Italy overturned a 1-0 deficit to knock Nigeria out of the 1994 tournament.

Keshi will return for another go at the World Cup as a coach and his Nigeria go again as African champions – thanks largely to his influence.

The 52-year-old Keshi suits his nickname with his former central defender’s beefy frame, but also his strength of character. He stands up for what he believes and has often been at odds with his own bosses at the national federation because of it.

He’s still there as coach, perhaps a measure of the respect he has earned. Before Keshi, Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2012 African Cup of Nations. It won it after he arrived.

Keshi’s playing days took him from Nigeria to Ivory Coast, Belgium, France, the United States and Malaysia. In his first national coaching role, he qualified Togo for its World Cup debut only to be discarded and replaced by Otto Pfister for the 2006 tournament in Germany.

That experience appeared to have left a lasting impression on Keshi, who was vindicated and re-employed by Togo after Pfister’s disappointing time in charge saw the Togolese players nearly go on strike at the World Cup.

“Even when it goes bad I still think it is good,” Keshi said. “There must always be a lesson to add to my future to make it better.”

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The specs: 2019 Mini Cooper

Price, base: Dh141,740 (three-door) / Dh165,900 (five-door)
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder (Cooper) / 2.0-litre four-cylinder (Cooper S)
Power: 136hp @ 4,500rpm (Cooper) / 192hp @ 5,000rpm (Cooper S)
Torque: 220Nm @ 1,480rpm (Cooper) / 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (Cooper S)
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 4.8L to 5.4L / 100km

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

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Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

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Manchester United v Manchester City, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)

Match is on BeIN Sports

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