Samson Siasia leads out his Super Eagles troop tonight against the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.

Siasia who replaced Austin Eguavoen as Eagles coach, intends to use the international friendly to boost his coaching resume as well further endear himself to teeming Nigerian football fans, who were at the forefront of the campaign to appoint him the senior national team coach, ahead of Stephen Keshi.

Super Eagles during training at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos. Photo by Sylva Eleanya.

But the coach of the opposing team, Christian Cole, is proposing a different package altogether for the Nigerians, who he feels are highly rated in names but not as a cohesive unit, capable of pulling down all strongholds.

Cole and his Leone Stars troops told Sports Vanguard yesterday at the Eko Hotel and Suites on the Island, that even though tonight’s match is just a friendly, that they attach more than a passing thing to the game holding under the floodlight of the revamped Teslim Balogun Stadium.

The small West African nation said that even though Nigeria has big time players playing in top European leagues that they would not allow Siasia to use the game to bolster his fledgling coaching career, insisting that they are in town to spoil the Eagles party.

“Of course, we are aware that Nigeria has top players in top clubs but it is also clear that the players have not functioned as a unit when they are playing for the country. We are not playing names, rather, we are playing a team and that team is not unbeatable”, roared Cole, yesterday.

He added that “I  also want to boost my credentials just as the coach of Nigeria, Siasia, wants to use the game to better his fortunes. It promises to be a very tough match and we are equal to the task and hope that we would come out laughing at the end of the game.

“The worst result that we can get against Nigeria is a draw because we are here for real business and we expect our opponents to accord us our due respect. This is more than a friendly match, it is a game that we are staking all to ensure that our pride remains intact”, said the Leone Stars coach, who are using the match to prepare for next month’s Nations Cup qualifier against Niger Republic in Niamey.

They are currently lying third in a group comprising Egypt, South Africa and Niger. They have played two matches against Egypt and South Africa, with both ending in 1-1 and goalless draws respectively.