Dream Team VI midfielder, Usman Mohammed, said on Wednesday in Abuja that he has no grudges being barred from the Super Eagles camp following his late arrival to the Under-23 team camp.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Mohammed alongside Stanley Dimgba and defender Segun Oduduwa were axed on Monday from the team by Coach Samson Siasia for lateness to camp.
They were also barred from entering the Super Eagles camp having been invited from the Under-23 team in preparation for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Egypt.
The first leg of the qualifier is scheduled to take place in Kaduna on March 25 with a return leg on March 29 in Alexandria, Egypt.
But Mohammed told NAN after the team’s training on Wednesday evening at the Abuja National Stadium that there was nothing to grudge since both teams trained together under one coach.
He said: “I don’t feel any regret because the coach is the person in charge of both teams and there is no difference between the two teams.
“Under-23 is where I started from and as you can see, we trained together on the same pitch.
“I sincerely believe that he will return me to the Super Eagles camp.”
On the Under-23 international friendly with Brazil scheduled for March 24 in Brazil, Mohammed said the players were roaring to go.
He said: “The spirit in the Under-23 team is very high as you can see.
“The players and the coaches are working together and this will surely give us victory.”
NAN reports that both teams will use the match to prepare for the Rio 2016 Olympics.
Both teams last met in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics with the Nigerian team recording a 3-1 win to eliminate Brazil in the semi-finals, before beating Argentina 3-2 in the final to claim the football gold.
Nigeria picked one of Africa’s slots for the 2016 Olympics having emerged champions of the CAF U-23 African Cup of Nations in Senegal.
The Nigerian team will know its first round opponents for the Rio Olympics on April 14 when the draws will be conducted at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
NAN.
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