By Tony Ubani
AS time ticks closer to the Rio Olympics, former Super Eagles coach Austin Eguavoen has advised Samson Siasia to be doubly sure before he selects his three over-aged players for the football event of the Olympics.

Coach Samson Siasia

Three over-aged players are allowed to join each of the qualified teams in the U-23 event and Eguavoen said that a careful selection of the players would brighten Nigeria’s chances of repeating the Atlanta ’96 feat where the Nigerian team won the Olympic gold medal of the football event.

‘’I envy Siasia because it is a hard choice to make. There are very many good Nigerian players who can add value to the team. But it is a tough thing to determine who to pick and who to leave out’’, Eguavoen said at the Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City where he led his Akwa Starlets to finish second behind Bendel Insurance of Benin in the Edo State/Froth Group South South Champions League.

Bendel Insurance beat the Starlets 1-0 to lift the trophy and pocket the N1 million prize money.
‘’I’ll advise him to concentrate on three departments – central defence, midfield and attack in selecting the players’’, Eguavoen, who refused to mention the names of players, said.

‘’It’s not for me to mention the names of players. That will be too hasty as Siasia is best suited to pick his choice. The best I can say is to advise him to go for these departments to make the team solid. Speculations in recent times have seen names like Mikel Obi, Odion Ighalo, Ahmed Musa, Simon Moses mentioned but Siasia is yet to formally announce the lucky three.

Eguavoen, however, tipped the Nigerian team as one of the favourites for the Cup. ‘’We’ve a good team to do well in the Olympics. The Siasia team will be as good as winning the gold medal’’, Eguavoen predicted.