These were the words of stand-in coach Twahir Muhidin, as the team wound up training Friday at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, Nairobi.
Muhidin, a Kenyan who has been the head coach and deputy coach in the past, took charge of the team on Monday following the boycott staged by coach Antoine Hey after Football Kenya Limited (FKL) called up four players to the team.
He was one of the two deputy coaches under Hey.
Hey, a 40-year-old German who signed a two-year contract with FKL in March, felt that the national office was overstepping its mandate and interfering with his work.
And Muhidin, a Germany-trained coach, told PANA Friday that the match against the Super Eagles would be tough because the West Africans were no pushovers.
'We know what to expect, the Super Eagles is a tough team, they will be gunning for a World Cup slot, while we are out to secure tickets to the 2010 African Cup of Nations finals in Angola'', said the coach.
'In the pitch, we will play with high-level concentration, utilising each and every chance we get,' said Muhidin.
'In the short history, we have met Nigeria thrice, lost twice and drew once. We will be out to beat the Super Eagles, while praying that Tunisia beats Mozambique in the other Group 2 match in Maputo, enabling us to qualify for the Cup of Nations'.
Hey, spotted by journalists at the poolside of a Nairobi 5-Star hotel on Friday, had argued that he had enough players in camp and did not need the services of the four.
Those called up were France-based striker Dennis Oliech, midfielder Emmanuel Ake who is based in Denmark, home-based defender Edgar Ochieng and unattached midfielder Jamal Mohammed.
The rest is history. But Minister Hellen Sambili, Thursday said the government would stop paying his monthly dues because he had literally walked out of the team.
She said, Hey who was paid in advance up to November, should not expect dues from the government from now henceforth.
Tunisia leads the group standings with 11 points, followed by Nigeria, two time Olympic soccer champions, with nine points. Mozambique occupy the third spot with four.
Tailenders Kenya are in the fourth spot with three points. Nigeria who thumped Kenya 3-0 in the first leg tie in Abuja earlier in the year, were due in Nairobi late Friday.
Nairobi - 13/11/2009
Pana
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