The game, which started on a very high temp, saw coach Samson Siasia making four changes from the team that lost the first game
Browsing: Samson Siasia
Giving this assurance in Tunis on Monday, the Ambassador of Nigeria to Tunisia, Dr. Joseph Apeh Omede, said the leaders of the Nigerian community had been duly contacted and have gone to work on mobilizing the members to the venue
Siasia said: “I don’t want to blame the players too much for the loss to the Tunisians in the first match on Saturday. Without appearing to be making excuses for them, we arrived in Tunis on Friday afternoon and immediately went to training but the weather did not help matters
The encounter, which took place inside the main bowl of the National Stadium, Abuja, was the last practice game before the commencement of the Super 6 and the trip to Tunisia by the Dream Team
Siasia disclosed that the players were selected based on their performance and that none of the two teams is first or second, stressing that both teams are one
According to Siasia, both events will enable him and his technical crew asses the players in camp and know those who can truly represent the country at the All Africa Games and next year’s Olympic Games in Rio
Surprisingly, the team’s handler, Samson Siasia, and his backroom staff were patiently waiting for the players arrival as at 5:30am, which implied that they are in for a serious business in camp
“This will also make it possible for the invited foreign-based players to join us without experiencing the rigours of having to travel down to Abuja. But everything depends on the decision of the Nigeria Football Federation.”
“There is no way I and my technical staff will have all the information about the players we have selected from the screening exercise
The players selected from the screening held in Abuja are expected to arrive the Serob Hotel on January 4 with their international passports
The new arrivals are: Iroha Chinazom from AD Oliveirense, Portugal; Ovoke Benard from KAA Gent, Belgium; Gomo Onduku from Iasi, Romania; and Adedapo Adeniyi from the USA
Shocked at the report, Siasia said he at no time disagreed with the Flying Eagles coach over any player, wondering why mischief makers would want to create a scene when there is none
Addressing the players after the exercise, Siasia thanked the players for finding time out of their busy schedule to participate, describing them as real patriots of Nigeria
The team’s media officer, Timi Ebikagboro, disclosed that the latest arrivals are Nansil Selbol of Sporting Kansas, Fred Friday of LSK Norway, Amuzie Stanley of Sassuolo Calsio in Italy, Oladele Oshobe of Lokomotive Plovdiv in Bulgaria, and Atanda Sodiq of FK Apolonia FC in Albania
Siasia said many of those from the academies and the Premier League have shown hunger and zeal to do the nation proud in the various competitions the team will be involved in next year
The NYSC team put up an impressive display with their physical style of play but the calm and skillful set of youthful players battling for places in Nigeria’s Olympic squad subdued them in a game played at the FIFA Goal Project, Abuja
Olympic gold medallists in Atlanta, USA in 1996, the Dream Team faltered at the 2000 Games in Australia, failed to qualify for the Athens 2004 Games, won silver medal in Beijing in 2008 and failed to qualify for the London Games in 2012
Siasia argued that the victory in Calabar, Cross River State would certainly give the Devil the confidence needed to prosecute the game, warning that losing the game is equal to missing the ticket
His words: “I have done it before and I believe I can do it better this time around.
“My past experiences on the job will go a long way in making Nigerians proud once again
The Nigeria Football Federation disclosed this after an emergency meeting held on Thursday morning in Abuja