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Tag: Siasia

  • SIASIA BOASTS: Mikel will score more goals if…

    SIASIA BOASTS: Mikel will score more goals if…

    Former Super Eagles Chief Coach, Samson Siasia has tipped Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi to score more goals for his club and the Eagles only if he continues to find himself in the right position to hit the ball into the net.

    Siasia, who gave Mikel the chance to break into limelight by featuring him in the Flying Eagles Class of 2005 that won silver at the U-20 World Cup in Holland and Mikel eventually emerged the second best player of the tournament behind the Most Valuable Player, Lionel Messi, argued that nobody should be blamed for Mikel’s lack of goal instinct while playing for club and country adding that the player must at all time try to find a space for himself in the attack in order to get the goals.

    The former International, however, commended Mikel for making efforts at goal while encouraging him to do more by practising this technique which according to him will make him a more accomplished midfielder.

    “Firstly, I am happy for Mikel to have broken the jinx of scoring for his club Chelsea and I hope this will propel him to get in more goals for his club and Nigeria too”, Siasia told SportingLife.

    The former Eagles boss also offered this advice for Mikel “There is no doubting the fact that Mikel is a talented footballer who has the quality to be a super star in football but he must continue to work hard and try as much as possible to join the attack. If he continue to find himself in good position to score and take his chances he could get in couple of goals for Chelsea and Nigeria”, Siasia told SportingLife from IITA (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture), Ibadan where he is handling a youth football project for a bank.

  • Siasia excited with Eagles’ outings

    Former Super Eagles’ gaffer, Samson Siasia has saluted the Nigerian team for their impressive performance which saw them coming out victorious in their last two games.

    Nigeria, who are the current African champions, defeated Malawi 2-0 last Saturday in Calabar, a victory which gave them the ticket to the final play offs for the 2014 world cup qualifiers.

    The Super Eagles then hammered their west African opponents, Burkina Faso 4-1 on Tuesday in the high-profile friendly game which was decided at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna.

    “Super Eagles players were excellent in their last two games and I was excited with how they handed defeat to Malawi and Burkina Faso. Malawi came to Nigeria with a lot of pressure aimed to distract the Eagles, but I was elated with how our Boys responded to them to Calabar,” Siasia told Okin FM.

    Nigeria have made it to the final play offs for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying games, and Siasia is optimistic that the Eagles would make it to Brazil.

    “I am unperturbed with the final play offs because the Eagles have the pedigree to face any foes and I’m sure they would make it to the 2014 World Cup,” he stressed.

  • Siasia up for Dream Team job

    Siasia up for Dream Team job

    Former Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia is up to coaching the national Under-23 team if given the opportunity.

    Siasia has a history with the ‘Dream Team’; he was appointed national Under-23 coach on January 2007.

    In 2008, he coached the Nigerian U-23 Olympic squad to the final against Argentina. Nigeria’s team earned the Olympic Silver Medals. Earlier in 2008, the U-23 team won the inaugural Intercontinental Cup in Malaysia.

    According to gongnews, the coach will gladly take charge of the team again if contacted by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for the vacant Olympic Team coaching job.

    The coach dismissed speculation that he is not interested in coaching the team because of the way he was sacked as Super Eagles coach.

    “Nobody can dictate what is going on in my mind unless you approach me and I tell you.

    “Why would I turn down an offer to coach the national team? If the NFF contact me for the job we would sit down and discuss terms and, if okay, why not, I will take up the job,” he told gongnews.

    Siasia explained that his sacking as Nigeria coach for not qualifying for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations was part of the job and that is now history.

    He said he has always contributed his quota to national issues and added that he was not annoyed with the Federation but had to say his mind for the up-liftment of the game of soccer in the country.

  • ACADEMY DIVIDENDS: National teams’ main beneficiaries -Siasia

    ACADEMY DIVIDENDS: National teams’ main beneficiaries -Siasia

     •100 players hit Abuja for screening 

    Former Super Eagles coach, Samson Siasia has expressed delight that national teams and clubs in the country are beginning to reap from the dividends of his Abuja based Siaone Academy.

    The former international who was handed the job of Super Eagles coach On 4 November 2010 and shown the door a year later for failing to take the Nigeria team to the 2012 African Nations Cup in Gabon & Equatorial Guinea, said he is not relenting in the search for fresh legs with ambition that can help win laurels for the nation on one hand and build a career for themselves on the other.

    The Academy according to the former U-20 and 23 Coach, takes the catch them young project seriously as that is the only way to identify the best.

    “We are proud to reveal that many of the players we screened last year made their ways into the U- 17 national team while others are playing in top clubs in the country now,” he posted on the social media Saturday.

    The former Nantes of France striker further revealed that over 100 players between the ages of Ages 13 and 23 have registered for the Academy’s next screening billed for the NYSC Orientation Camp, Kubwa Abuja July 27th.

    The screening exercise he added will be handled by experienced coaches who were also former internationals

  • Youth programmes key to sports development, says Siasia

    Youth programmes key to sports development, says Siasia

    Samson Siasia, a former Super Eagles Head Coach, on Tuesday blamed the poor growth in the country’s sports development on lack of viable programmes to promote youth sports.

    Siasia told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt that any investment in youth-related programmes would boost sports development in the country.

    The former coach stressed that schools sports should be made more relevant, in order to harness budding grassroots talents in the country.

    “In the past, pupils gained exposure in sports through routine field practises; then, there were Games Masters, but today, most pupils only view the fields on television screens. Taking youth development as most vital in sports management will definitely boost its promotion. We should learn to improve our performance in sports, like in the past that we used to beat some other nations by about five to seven goals,” Siasia said.

    He added that funds expended in youth sports development should not be regarded as a waste, but should be seen as money well spent.

    Siasia, who was a member of the Super Eagles squad that won the 1994 edition of the AFCON in Tunisia, however, commended some state governors for the good they were doing in youth sports development.

     

  • SIASIA TO KESHI Work on Eagles defence

    SIASIA TO KESHI Work on Eagles defence

    Former Super Eagles handler, Samson Siasia has advised Coach Stephen Keshi to work more of his defenders before their World Cup qualifiers against Kenya and Namibia.

    The former International said he has been impressed with the performance of the players in recent times, saying that they have all it takes to pick the sole ticket in the group.

    “I am impressed with the team that played against Mexico. Nigerian is not lacking in talents, but what has been lacking is harnessing them together. I thank God that Keshi is getting it right, and the boys are playing well. All he needs to do now is to work on the back four players, and if he is able to achieve that within this space of time, they are ready to go”.

    Siaone also cautioned that there is no need to invite new players into the team now, insisting that Keshi should make do with those in camp “though, we will the like of Victor Moses, Emmanuel Emenike and others, but the Coach should concentrate all his attention on those players in camp, and I am confident that they would make him proud,” he concluded.

  • BAYELSEA DERBY: Large turn-out thrills Siasia

    BAYELSEA DERBY: Large turn-out thrills Siasia

    Former Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia was impressed with the large turn-out of fans for the Nigeria Professional Football League game between City rivals Bayelsa United and Nembe City.

    Siasia was at the stadium named after him in Yenogoa to watch the week 14 game and he saw Peter Ebimobowei’s first half brace secure Bayelsa United all three points with a 2-0 win.

    Siaone was approached for interview after the game, and told journalists he is impressed with the fans.

    “I’m impressed by the turnout, it’s almost the first time I’ll see people watch a match this much here.

    “I hope to see more intelligent play, it seems rough at some points, but there’s room for improvement, the former U-20 coach said as regards the standard of play.

    Ebimobowei headed Bayelsa United into the lead in the 21st minute after goalkeeper Kola Ige spilled Odili Iyasele’s free-kick.

    Ebimobowei then completed his brace with six minutes to the break after a good job from Uche Ihuarulam to put Bayelsa on the winning side.

  • Siasia applies for Uganda job

    Siasia applies for Uganda job

    Former Nigeria Super Eagles head coach Samson Siasia is among the top applicants for the vacant Uganda Cranes coaching role.

    According to our reliable sources, Siasia, who lost only once as the Super Eagles manager between 2010 and 2011, has reportedly dropped his CV at FUFA for consideration for the job that was left vacant after former head coach Bobby Williamson was shown the door.

    The former Nigerian international striker was the coach of the Nigerian Olympics Team (Dream Team IV), who won a silver medal for Nigeria, losing to Argentina in the finals by a lone goal in 2008.

    He has previously coached the country’s U20, and U23 sides where he led the U-20 team to win the U-20 African Youth Championship 2005 in Benin.

    Also on the list of applicants for the Cranes job is Macedonia national Nikola Ilievski who holds a Uefa Pro Licence.

    Ilievski is currently the head coach of FK Vardar, a member of the First Macedonian Football League.

    The Macedonian was the head coach for the Bangladesh National Team between 2011-2012.

    Others hunting for the same post include Tom Saintfiet, who is the former head coach for Tanzania giants Simba SC.

  • Bayelsa to appoint Siasia football consultant

    Bayelsa to appoint Siasia football consultant

    Bayelsa State may have finally recognised the professional credentials of its son and former Super Eagles Chief Coach, Samson Siasia as plans by the state to appoint him a Football Consultant looks wrapped up.

    Siasia’s achievements in youth football which has seen him win two silver medals at the Beijing Olympics in 2007 and the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Youth Championship has impressed his Excellency, Seriake Dickson which he believes can be translated into positive results.

    He is expected to work with all the Local Government Areas of the state to help develop the game and spot promising talents.

    “He should have been named since last week but from what we are hearing, the announcement will be done next month,” said SportingLife’s source.

    Our source hinted that the project is similar to what Super Eagles handler, Shaibu Amodu is doing in Edo state.

    SportingLife’s source could however not divulge what Siasia is expected to receive as monthly salary, but said it would surely run into millions of naira.

    “Certainly you do not expect the government to pay Siasia below his worth. This was a coach who was earning N5m as Eagles coach before he quit. I guess that should give you an idea of what he would get,” the source said.

    Siasia, who handled Bayelsa United after the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt, has been without a job since his removal as Eagles coach in 2011.

    He has also been linked to the U-23 national team job ahead of the 2016 Olympic qualifiers which kicks off in 2015.

  • Eagles missed Emenike, Ambrose against Kenya- Siasia

    Eagles missed Emenike, Ambrose against Kenya- Siasia

     Says Stars will be difficult to beat in Kenya

     

    Former Super Eagles Chief Coach, Samson Siasia has blamed the 1-1 draw of the team against the Harambee Stars of Kenya on the absence of key players namely defender Efe Ambrose and injured striker Emmanuel Emenike.

    “It was very glaring in today’s (Saturday’s) match that Efe Ambrose and Emmanuel Emenike were sorely missed. There was nobody to coordinate that defence line effectively. Also we all know the effectiveness of Efe from the right back which he uses to even run down opponent’s defence at will because of his attacking prowess too.

    “Emenike undoubtedly is the best striker we have now going by his performance in the last Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. If he had played this game I believe he could have converted one or two in this match,” Siasia told SportingLife shortly after 1-1 score draw between the Super Eagles and the Harambee Stars of Kenya in the 2014 World Cup qualifying match decided at the UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar Saturday.

    He added: “The Kenyan team came with a game plan which they almost succeeded in carrying out. They put only one player upfront, but more men in the middle while everybody was defending. But it was good that we got a draw so we have the chance and time to prepare very well for the next match and with more friendly matches played before going to Kenya I hope we will get a good result there.

    “But my fears is that Kenya would be very difficult to beat in the front of their fans. But I am confident the team can do it.”

    It will be recalled that the Super Eagles defeated Kenya 3-0 in a friendly match played under the former Coach, Siasia while preparing for the 2012 Nations Cup qualifier which Nigeria failed to qualify.