The Super Eagles boss looks to have stepped down after three years in charge of the team and remains a divisive figure following his achievements since 2011.As his flock scattered like sheep without a shepherd on Tuesday, each catching flights to different parts of the world following their second round exit to France, Stephen Keshi chose to reflect.
Reclined on a lounge chair close to the still lake that borders the Brasilia Palace Hotel, he had one last thing on his mind - how to return home with the remaining crop of players in his care.
"I brought them here, so I have to take them back to Nigeria," Keshi told reporters. "I just hope whoever comes in will give them the opportunity to showcase their talents."
Afterwards, he would take a deserved break with his family in the United States and then seek newer pastures with his long-serving assistant: Togolese trainer Valere Houandinou.
It has been a long summer for the 52-year-old, who took his side to the round of 16 at the World Cup in Brazil. It was the first time an indigenous coach had reached such heights with the team - their third visit overall to the knockout stage of football's greatest showpiece.
Keshi, a name synonymous with the Super Eagles, has overseen many highs and lows.
After serving in the set-up as a player and captain for 14 years, he was brought back in 2011 to help shore up a fledgling side that failed to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
Leading by inspiration - his time as a player saw the team win their second African title and qualify for their first World Cup 20 years ago Keshi took up the job without the perks of office that his predecessor enjoyed.
He worked without a permanent home in Nigeria, living out of hotels for more than two years in charge while spending breaks with his family in America.
Team Stats — Nigeria
Games Played
4
Average Possession
48%
Duels Won
48%
Aerial duels won
50.4%
Offsides
6. He even went seven months without pay, the backroom staff suffering from the poor administrative issues that have bedevilled the Nigeria Football Federation. It was one of the reasons that players decided not to train last Thursday as they looked to press home their financial demands.
Keshi has even had to pay Houandinou from his own pocket in order to make his job of leading the national team to success easier.
One year into taking over the Super Eagles, he led them to win the Afcon title in South Africa with a host of new players bursting onto the scene after he did away with the bulk of the squad that failed to qualify for the tournament the year before.
For the first time in memory, Nigeria then qualified for the World Cup on their terms. Gone were the days of waiting for the result of other matches to go in their favour. This time, they topped their group and defeated Ethiopia over two legs in the Caf play-offs to reach Brazil.
Back home, however, opinion is divided over the success of the former Togo and Mali coach. Some say he is deserving of his success, others that he has been lucky - and that that luck can only take him so far.
Legendary or lucky?| Keshi continues to prove divisive after his three-year spell in charge
Keshi splits opinions generally. He is described as stubborn by the federation, while some members of the Nigerian media claim that he is arrogant, someone who doesn’t take their advice.
This World Cup has revealed another aspect of his character. An Iranian journalist told this writer that he has a great sense of humour. Even a Western reporter bellowed "I love this man" after one of his early press briefings in Curitiba.
The Nigeria team of 1994 were heroes: Rashidi Yekini, Peter Rufai, George Finidi and, of course, Keshi. He led that team under Clemens Westerhof to victory after three attempts at the Afcon.
They took the nation to its first World Cup in the United States and cemented their place in history and in the hearts of supporters.
But Keshi has always been known for his behind-the-scenes scheming. It was why they nicknamed him the Big Boss. He led player revolts, he was stubborn, he was rough, but he was loved.
He was among the first Nigerian players to play in Europe at a time when the local scene was very much respected and had keen rivalry. He left through Abidjan for Belgium and then on to France in an illustrious career that eventually ended in 1998 in Malaysia.
After him, many Nigerian players began to seek out greener pastures in Europe and they have not stopped since.
Since setting such examples as a player, Keshi has now left a bigger mark as a coach, following in the footsteps of his mentor Westerhof.
His critics say he should have brought Ikechukwu Uche, Sunday Mba and Nosa Igiebor to Brazil. But he says he brought Michael Babatunde out for the world to see.
They say he is unable to read tactics correctly and won’t grow much more than this as a coach. Where were they, however, when Nigeria failed to make any meaningful impact with their array of European and local coaches since 1998?
With his decision to step down from the job on Monday for the second time in as many years, people will remember him in several different ways.
To some he was a troublemaker; to others, a trailblazer. Yet in a few years, most will only remember him as a legend.
For what it's worth, he has left his successor some oversized shoes to fill.
Courtesy: Goal.com