…but urges team to work harder

By Solomon Nwoke

FORMER coach of the national U-23 team, Samson Siasia has charged the U-20 side, the Flying Eagles campaigning for the forthcoming African Youth Championship (AYC) in Libya to work harder in order to excel at the tournament next year.

After observing the team’s qualifying match against Mauritius which ended 2-1 in   Nigeria’s favour weekend, Siasia said in a telephone chat with Sports Vanguard that the team needed to improve in order to overcome the impending challenges at the AYC.

Nigeria recorded a 4_1 aggregate victory over the Mauritians to seal their place in the competition scheduled for March 18 to April 1, 2011.

Siasia who led the team to its last African title in 2005 in Benin Republic and to the second place at the FIFA U-20 World Championship in Holland however said notwithstanding the team’s qualification, the Flying Eagles were not inspiring in their  performance. He said he would make his observations to the team’s handler, John Obuh

The Technical Adviser of Owerri-based Heartland Football club said from the history of the championship, the Libya tournamet was not gong to be a piece of cake for the Flying Eagles unless there would be adequate preparations.

He said, “the team needs to improve for it to excel in Libya next year. We (the coaches) have to get behind coach John Obuh to fine-tune the team. From our experience in the competition since the 80’s it is getting tougher because every country is developing her football.”

Continuing, the Olympic silver medal-winning coach warned, “Nigeria is going to be the target of all teams in Libya considering our pedigree in the championship.

*Samson Siasia

“Against Mauritius, the team did well in the first half, and deservedly got two goals, but the second half performance was not inspiring. Their passes were too short and the players were a little bit too relaxed.

“This really gave their opponents much confidence to come back and get a goal. But then, it is possible they thought it was all over, based on the first leg match,” he  observed.