We Learnt A Lot From Suwon Tournament – Siasia

Head Coach of the Nigeria U-23 team, Samson Siasia has said his team learnt a lot from the 4-Nation Suwon Invitational Tournament in Korea Republic, after his boys ended the invitational with a 3-1 defeat of Honduras on Monday.

Speaking at the post match press conference, Siasia said the experience in Korea was overwhelming.

“I’m happy we are not going back home pointless. The most important thing is that team officials and the players have learnt a lot from this tournament which we will take back home to start making our corrections.

Samson Siasia
photo-credit: TheNFF

“The best thing that has happened to this team is that due to results at this tournament, we have heard Nigerians criticizing us, we thank them for all the negative things they have been saying about us. These have served as motivation for us, we have realized the areas that we need to improve on and those players that we need to inject into the team to make up a very strong team going to the Olympics.”

Siasia added: “The biggest problem we are having right now is that we do not defend very well; we create several chances but do not convert them. So, we need to make changes in those areas for us to move ahead from here, we have other games coming up too in America. After making those changes we will see how well the team will look going to the Olympics.

“I don’t see any plus right now, I only saw players that are not fit enough, that’s the biggest problem we had. The change of weather actually affected the few ones that we trusted to play well, most of them faltered, so that’s a problem, and we need to address these things in a hurry.”

Coach Siasia disclosed that he has a number of players in mind to fortify the team, but he will not disclose their names now, because he has not been able to confirm if they will be available for the Games.

Nigeria U-23 Football team

The Nigeria U-23 finished third at the 4-Nation Tournament after beating Honduras 3-1 in their last game on Monday.

Honduras went ahead in the 17th minute through Alberth Elis while the Nigerian Team came into the game in the second half, scoring the equalizer in the 61st minute through captain Azubuike Okechukwu. Godwin Saviour increased the tally in the 69 minute from the penalty spot and in the 87th minute, Saturday Keigho made it three with a beauty of a goal with a shot taken from his the Nigerian half of the pitch.

Report To Camp Monday Or Forget It – Siasia Tells Players

Report To Camp Monday Or Forget It – Siasia tells players…Says no fear of big names

Head Coach of the Nigeria U-23 team, Samson Siasia has disclosed that any of the players invited from the domestic scene who fails to report to camp by Monday, 25th April should not bother coming to camp, as the technical crew will work with only players available to them and are willing to play at the Olympics.

Speaking after the team’s training session at the practice pitch of the Abuja National Stadium, Coach Siasia said he does not want to make the mistake of the past when players who had been pencilled down by the coaching crew were not available when needed.

“I want to work with only the players on ground, and to get them to the shape I want,” Siasia reiterated.

On the issue of other teams in Nigeria’s Group B already announcing plans to include very experienced over-aged players, the U-23 gaffer said the technical crew and the players are not scared of any individual player, but would rather bother about the quality of opposition at the Olympics’ football event.

“Yes, I have read of plans by Sweden to include someone like Zlatan Ibramovich as one of their over –aged players for the Games. Good for them, but as far as we are concerned, there is nothing like fear. For us, we are trying to put up a team, and that will determine which players we are going to bring. We have played against players of stronger calibre than Zlatan. We have played against Lionel Messi and Di Maria and others.

“We would rather think of the fact that they have a strong team tha‎t will play against us, and not individual players. I don’t want to jump around and start mentioning names, and later if those players are not available, we would be disappointed. So, I have to be sure of what I am doing and when that time comes we will release the names.”

On the issue of players like John Mikel Obi and Ogenyi Onazi showing interest in playing for Nigeria at the Olympics, Siasia remarked: “I guess that because Mikel missed out the last time, he wants to make up for it. Not only that, the last couple of games he has played for the Super Eagles, he has been playing very well, and if he wants to be part of the team, of course he is welcome, but as I said we have to look at the positions we really, really need people. We are not going to select players because they play for the Super Eagles or because they are still under the age bracket. They have to compete with those players who actually qualified the team for the Olympics.”

Samson Siasia
photo-credit: TheNFF

Coach Siasia confirmed that he has sent a provisional list of 60 players for the Games. According to him, “if your name is not on that list, then no Olympics for you. That’s why we put as many names as we can, we don’t know the Europe -based players whose clubs would release for the Games.”

The U-23 coach said he smiled and stood near Brazil coach, Dunga after the draws at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro: “I told myself this is the man I would be playing against in the Final Match!”

Siasia Not Worried By Olympics Draw

Head Coach of the Nigeria U-23 team, Samson Siasia has disclosed that the draws for the football event of the Rio Olympic Games which saw his side pooled against Sweden, Japan and Colombia is not a bad one.

The draws held on Thursday at the auditorium of the Maracana Stadium, Rio de Janeiro saw the reigning African champions, the Nigeria U-23 team drawn against Asian champions Japan, European champions Sweden and Colombia, who beat USA in an intercontinental play–off to reach Rio.

Speaking from Rio de Janeiro after the draws, Coach Siasia said there are no good or bad draws, and he believes the Dream Team can qualify from the group. “For me, there is no good or bad draw, for all the teams played qualifiers to get here. Besides, the Group B that we are in has two continental champions alongside Nigeria, so I don’t expect it to be a stroll in the park for us, but with quality preparations I am sure we will pick one of the tickets from this group.

Samson Siasia
photo-credit: TheNFF

“My target in Rio is to pick the gold medal having won the silver medal in Beijing in 2008, so when I get back to Nigeria, I will put heads together with my assistants to work out our preparations for the Games. I am confident that with the calibre of players at our disposal, we will achieve our goal.”

On the issue of which three over-aged players to select for the Games, Coach Siasia said: “Yes, I already have in mind the three over aged players that I intend using at the Games. But I will not disclose their names for now as I think it’s still too early to do so.” Siasia is expected to return to the country this weekend.

Amoo Excited As Nigeria U-23 pip Brazil 1-0

The interim head coach of the Nigeria U-23 team, Fatai Amoo has said the display of his boys against host Brazil has justified their emergence as the African champions, and shown that they really can win gold at the Olympics in Rio come August this year.

Speaking after the Dream Team defeated Brazil by a lone goal, Coach Amoo admitted that his boys struggled to contain the hosts in the first half as they launched their attack from the left wing, but the team was able to redress that in the second half.

“The first half was very difficult for us, but then it is expected, having in mind that we scored an early goal and as such it was expected they would come all out against us to get the equalizer, but I must give my boys a lot of credit for holding their own.

“The boys did a great job if you recall that 80 percent of the boys we brought here were just meeting one another for the first time, and we needed to see all of them in match situation. I’m happy we have seen them and this is hopiing that as we play more friendlies, we would discover more players that will compete for jerseys before the Olympics proper.

“No doubt, our goalkeeper (Emmanuel Daniel) kept us in the game with a number of great saves before he was substituted. Even the substitute (Yusuf Mohammed) also did his bit. All in all, some players like Ezekiel Imoh and Sodiq Popoola were outstanding and I am happy for the team.”

Brazil, who are yet to win Olympics football gold, created the better chances, but they either failed to put them away or goalkeeper Emmanuel Daniel and his defence were resolute in keeping them out.

Ubong Ekpai fired the match winner for Nigeria off a rebound after just four minutes, when Imoh, who was a thorn in the flesh of the Brazilians went past his marker and his resultant pull out saw Popoola hitting a shot that rebounded for Ekpai to score.

Thereafter, Brazil threw everything at Nigeria, coming close in the 19th minute through Felipe Anderson and on 27 minutes, when Alisson’s angled header crashed against the crossbar.

Turkey-based Nigeria defender Musa Mohammed was booked in the 16th minute, for stamping on a Brazilian midfielder.‎ For the second half, Brazil made three changes, throwing in Wallace, Clayton and Wendell.

Clayton threatened the Nigerian goal just two minutes after his introduction, but goalkeeper Daniel was alive to his responsibilities. Malcolm and Andreas Pereira of Manchester United were also brought on but they just could not get past the Nigeria backline. ‎

‎Nigeria made four changes, which saw Victor Osimhen come in for Taiwo Awoniyi, Junior Ajayi for Ekpai, Amaefule Chizoba for Keigo and Sincere Seth for Ovbokha.