2014 World Cup: We Must Go Beyond Second Round - Keshi

Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi has disclosed his 2014 World Cup target is to surpass the country’s best performance of reaching the Round of 16.

Nigeria got to the Round of 16 at USA 1994 and France 1998, but have since failed to go beyond the group stage in Korea-Japan 2002 and South Africa 2010.

Top Nigeria football officials have said they will not set a World Cup target for the Super eagles in Brazil so as not to put them under undue pressure.

But Keshi has now said he hopes to lead Nigeria to improve on these records by at least reaching the quarterfinal, which is also the best performance by an African team and has been achieved by Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010).

“I am looking out to get a very good squad for the World Cup and go beyond Nigeria’s record in the previous World Cups,” Keshi told Brila FM on Monday.

Nigeria are drawn in Group F along with Argentina, Bosnia-Herzogovina and Iran.

Keshi has proposed a pre-World Cup training camp in the United States of America from May 25.

African champions Nigeria have also picked a training base in Sao Paolo and are due to play a friendly on March 5 in Europe as part of the build-up to Brazil 2014.

Nelson Mandela to be laid to rest on December 15

South African President Jacob Zuma has made public that former president Nelson Mandela’s funeral will be held on Sunday, December 15 in Qunu in the Eastern Cape, Mandela’s ancestral home. Speaking at a media briefing in his second public address since Mandela died on Thursday night, Mr Zuma said in a brief speech that the government was grateful for the dignified manner in which the local and international community had responded to the news of Mandela’s death.

He said that this Sunday, December 8, had been declared a day of prayer and reflection, and he called for all people to gather in churches, mosques, synagogues and in their homes to pray and to reflect on Mandela’s life. Mr Zuma said the main event of the 10 days of national mourning would be an official memorial service held at the FNB Stadium (Soccer City) in Nasrec, near Soweto, on Tuesday, December 10.

From December 11-13, Mandela’s remains would lie in state at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, where he was inaugurated as the first president of the democratic South Africa in 1994.

Mr Zuma said several memorial services were expected to be held in all provinces and regions in the coming week.

Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane said the funeral arrangements were handled by the Mandela family, the African National Congress (ANC) and the government.

Nelson Mandela Foundation spokesman Sello Hatang said earlier on Friday that the organisation was not planning any activities and its role would be limited to providing support to the family and the government.

World Football Stars Comment on Nelson Mandela's Death

Video - Nigerian Man Survives 3 Days At Bottom of Atlantic

Wonders shall never cease to happen in Nigeria! Praise God! He didnt resign to death and his hope was rewarded.