The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Samson Siasia

  • Siasia unveils squad for CAF U-23 championship

    Siasia unveils squad for CAF U-23 championship

    Dream Team VI Coach, Samson Siasia, has listed four overseas-based professionals in his final 21-man squad for the CAF U-23 championship in Senegal.

    The four foreign-based players are – Taiwo Awoniyi from German second division side, FSV Frankfurt, Junior Ajayi of Tunisian club CS Sfaxien, Isaac success from La Liga side Granada and Azubuike Okechukwu, who is based in Turkey, africanFootball.com reports.

    There are no players for seven-time champions Enyimba after the coach dropped Kingsley Sokari and Etor Daniel for insisting on leaving training camp to play a final league game with their club in Lagos.

    Nigeria will begin its campaign against Mali on Sunday.

    The team will also battle Egypt on December 2 and play Algeria in the final group B game three days later.

    The top three teams will qualify automatically for next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

    The squad:

    Goalkeepers: Emmanuel Daniel (Enugu Rangers), Yusuf Mohammed (Kano Pillars), Emmanuel Iwu (Heartland).

    Defenders: Sincere Seth (Supreme Court FC), Seun Oduduwa (Nath Boys), Zaharadeen Bello (Kano Pillars), Seun Olubayo (Sunshine Stars), Chizoba Amaefule(Dolphins), Ebuka Iroha (Diamond Football Academy).

    Midfielders: Ndifreke Effiong (Abia Warriors), Usman Mohammed (FC Taraba),Tiongoli Tobara (Bayelsa United), Bature Yaro (Nasarawa United), Oghenekaro Etebo (Warri Wolves), Azubuike Okechukwu (Yeni Matalatyaspor/Turkey), Godspower Aniefiok (Kano Pillars), Stanley Dimgba (Warri Wolves).

    Forward: Kufre Ebong (Warri Wolves), Junior Ajayi (CS Sfaxien/Tunisia), Taiwo Awoniyi (FSV Frankfurt/Germany), Isaac Success (Granada CF/Spain).

  • Siasia begs kidnappers to release mother

    Siasia begs kidnappers to release mother

    Olympic Team coach, Samson Siasia, has begged his mother’s abductors to release her to enable him focus on the task of winning a ticket to next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

    Madam Ogere Siasia, 72, according to the ex-Super Eagles striker, was abducted in the village of Odoni, Bayelsa State, by three men on motorbike.

    She was the only one at home in the village, taking care of Siasia’s father, who is visually impaired, africanFootball.com reports.

    “Right now I am confused, from the story I got, three men on motorbike stormed my parents’ house in my village in Odoni, Bayelsa State, shot sporadically into the air before taking my old mother away on a bike.

    “What do they expect from me? I don’t have money, I am right now on national duty, and needs all the time to concentrate on this very important national task. So I beg them to please release my mother so that I can concentrate on this task of qualifying the U-23 national team for the men’s football event of the Rio Olympics,” africanFootball.com quoted the Olympic Team coach as saying on the incident.

    Siasia confirmed the incident has been reported to police in Bayelsa State.

    Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation has appealed to the kidnappers to release Siasia’s mother.

    The NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, was downcast when he heard the news on Tuesday morning.

    He said, “This is quite disturbing. We are just preparing for a crucial 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match, and the U-23 boys are already in The Gambia for a pre-Cup of Nations training camp. Why this?

    “All we can do is to appeal to the kidnappers to free Samson Siasia’s aged mother. Samson is on a critical national assignment presently and the last he needs is this kind of distraction.”

  • Siasia queried over ‘outburst’

    Siasia queried over ‘outburst’

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has queried the Dream Team VI coach, Samson Siasia, over what officials described as his “media outburst” on Wednesday.

    Siasia publicly accused his employers of abandoning his team with just a month to 2016 Olympics qualifying tournament in Senegal, africanFootball.com reports.

    The ex-Super Eagles striker said the team is owed match bonuses and allowances and he himself has not been paid for three months.

    The coach declared he should not be held responsible should the country fail to qualify for the Olympics football event.

    The query has demanded why sanctions should not be imposed on him for his “media outburst.”

    The CAF U-23 championship will be staged in Senegal from November 28 and it will serve as a qualifier for next year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

     

     

  • AAG failure: Dream Team not ready to compete – Siasia

    AAG failure: Dream Team not ready to compete – Siasia

    Dream Team VI coach, Samson Siasia, has said his team is not ready to compete, hinting that he will shop for new players following Tuesday’s shocking 1-3 defeat to Burkina Faso in the semi final of the ongoing All African Games in Congo Brazzaville.

    The Young Stallions will now meet Senegal in the final of the competition.

    Besides now battling hosts Congo for the bronze, Nigeria will also feature at the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations in Senegal.

    “We are not ready, we have a long way to go if we want to compete,” a disappointed Siasia told africanFootball.com.

    “We made so many mistakes, we did not play well in the defence and we did not create chances upfront. Our defence was sleeping. It was the worse game this team has played.

    “We would have to start looking at other players the way things are now going.”

  • Siasia picks 18 to battle Congo

    Siasia picks 18 to battle Congo

    Head Coach of the U-23 National Team, Samson Siasia has selected 18 players for Sunday’s African U-23 Championship final round, first leg qualifier against Congo, in Port Harcourt.

    The encounter coming up at the Adokiye Amiesieamaka Stadium, Port Harcourt will see the team parading old reliables like goalkeeper Emmanuel Daniel, Oghenekaro Etebor, Taiwo Awoniyi, Azubuike Okechukwu, Erhun Obanor and Godwin Saviour, with new faces Umar Aminu and Musa Yahaya making the list.

    Addressing the players, Siasia urged those who did not make the 18 -man list not to feel bad, but to see it as a challenge to up their game and make future lists.

    He told those who were selected to see their selection as a privilege and should show to the world that they were selected on merit.

    “I want to charge those of you selected to see this as a rare privilege knowing that millions of Nigerians are banking on you to put smiles on their faces come Sunday.

    ” I have the confidence that you guys can beat Congo, but all that will depend on you guys showing that on the field of play.

    “The Nigeria Football Federation and the Rivers State government have done so much for us to make us win, so it’s now left for us to let them know that we are true ambassadors of our country.”

    The final list is made up of two goalkeepers, six defenders, three midfielders and seven strikers:

    Daniel Emmanuel
    Chukwuebuka Iroha
    Stanley Amuzie
    Azubuike Okechukwu
    Segun Oduduwa
    Obanor Erhun
    Godwin Saviour
    Etebor Oghenekaro
    Junior Ajayi
    Usman Mohammed
    Etor Daniel
    Yusuf Mohammed
    Sadiq Atanda
    Chima Akas
    Austin Oladapo
    Taiwo Awoniyi
    Aminu Umar
    Musa Yahaya

  • Siasia: Dream Team is ready

    Siasia: Dream Team is ready

    Dream Team VI coach,  Samson Siasia has told sl10.ng that his team is ready for the challenge from their Gabonese counterparts when they face off for the All Africa Games qualifiers.

    The Nigerian U23 side takes on the Gabonese U23’s in Libreville on February 20, in the first leg of the first round of qualifiers for the 2015 All Africa Games, and Siasia believes his team is ready for the challenge, with over a week to spare.

    “We are ready now, the boys have been responding positively and we are impressed with how far they’ve come in a very short space of time.

    “Of course we still have to keep training and ensure we get better before the game, but if it were to be today, I would say we are ready and up for it,” he told sl10.ng.

    Gabon are champions of the Africa U23 championship, which serves as qualifiers for the Olympic Games and despite declaring their state of readiness, Siasia says he knows better not to underrate their opponents.

    “We know how good they are and we must respect them. We cannot underrate any of our opponents, we just have to focus on our training and how we can get better.”

  • …Calm over salary delay

    …Calm over salary delay

    • Payment not likely now

    Olympic Eagles’ chief coach, Samson Siasia appears  not to be bothered that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has not been able to pay his salaries since he staged a comeback to the same job he left six years ago.

    Instead the former Super Eagles coach, who was employed in October, wants to be focused on next weekend’s All Africa Games first leg qualifier against Gabon in Libreville.

    SportingLife gathered that the salaries running into millions of naira may not be paid any time soon.

    “Going by the civil service structure, he (Siasia’s) salaries may not be settled now. We are looking at the possiblity of it being cleared before April,” an insider said.

    Siasia’s monthly earning has never been made public, but is believed to be in the neighbourhood of N2m.

    “I understand he asked for  N3m when he was negotiating with the NFF,” the insider continued.

    SportingLife further scooped that NFF gave Siasia out-station allowance for his trip to America to see his family last December.

    N3million monthly was what Siasia earned as Super Eagles chief coach until he was sacked for not qualifying Nigeria for the African  Nations Cup in 2012.

    He had previously handled the U-20 team, the Flying Eagles in 2005 and 2009.

  • Siasia salutes Flying Eagles

    Siasia salutes Flying Eagles

    Dream Team coach Samson Siasia has  saluted the Flying Eagles after they emerged champions of the 2015 Super 6 tournament in Abuja.

    Siasia’s U-23 team could only secure a 3-3 draw against the Flying Eagles in the final game of the mini-tournament on Sunday, coming second to their junior counterparts.

    And Siasia says he has seen enough of the Flying Eagles to know they are a very good side.

    “They are good. They are a very good team and I congratulate them. I see that Manu Garba and Nduka Ugbade have both done some tremendous work to have produced this team.

    “They gave us a very good fight; they were always attacking us and we almost paid the price, and I will say I am happy with what I have seen,” Siasia said.

    The former Flying Eagles coach also went on to state that the feat achieved by his team and the Flying Eagles go on to show the quality of talents in the country.

    “When you look at our team and this Flying Eagles team, it tells you a lot about the quality of players we have in this country and it is something we should be proud of,” Siasia added.

  • Don’t blame players for Tunisia defeat – Siasia

    Don’t blame players for Tunisia defeat – Siasia

    The Olympic Team coach, Samson Siasia, has absolved his player of blame following the team 3-5 defeat in the hands of their Tunisian counterpart in a friendly encounter played in Tunis.

    A brace from Junior Ajayi and strike from Etim Emmanuel could not prevent the Dream Team from going down to the Tunisians in the eight-goal thriller played at the El Menzah Stadium, Goal reports.

    Siasia said several factors caused the team’s defeat in the encounter, adding that the players hope to make amend when both sides meet again on Wednesday.

    “I don’t want to blame the players too much for the loss to the Tunisians in the first match on Saturday,” Goal quoted the coach as saying in a statement released by the Nigeria Football Federation.

    “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.

    “Most of them were traveling outside the country for the first time and you can’t wish that away.”

    The former Super Eagles striker also said the weather was a critical issue while thanking the NFF for the game which will help him and his assistants correct noticeable lapses.

     

  • Dream Team sets for phase ll camping

    Dream Team sets for phase ll camping

    The Nigeria U-23 side will this week commence the second batch of screening, specifically for foreign based footballers ahead the 2015 All African Games.

    Coach Samson Siasia after given the local-based professionals a chance to break into his team decided to invite foreign based players for a chance to represent their country.

    Addressing the players at the end of the first screening exercise, the former Super Eagles striker described the players as patriots for taking time to participate in the selection process.

    “I must commend you all for coming down despite the short notice. You guys have sacrificed a lot to come here.

    “I want to commend your efforts and assure you that we will not forget you in our plans, “Goal quoted the ex-Nantes striker as saying to the players.

    Siasia will be hoping to qualify Nigeria for the All African Games as well as the Olympics in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.