The U23 coach is trying to instill discipline in his
side by sticking to deadlines for players to report to camp, failing
which they would not be eligible to participate in his ...
Nigeria U23 coach Samson Siasia has disclosed that the inability of
Manchester City midfielder Kelechi Iheanacho and U20 goalkeeper Dele
Alampasu to meet up with the camp deadline given to invited players for
the team’s all-important 2016 Olympics qualifying match against Congo
led to their being dropped.The coach insisted that discipline must be maintained if the team is to achieve the successes craved for.
He also disclosed that the affected players are still very much part of the team and would be invited after the match against Congo in Port Harcourt.
“I don’t think we need Kelechi Iheanacho in that disposition now. As soon as we qualify we will invite him to the team. It’s the people you know that can play to your instructions that are here now,” Siasia said.
“It will be too difficult for him to come in now and fit in into that pattern. When we qualify he is going to be a part of us. There is no way you can rule out a talented player like Kelechi, no you cannot rule him out of this team. It’s just that he can’t fit in if he comes now to join the team.
“Kelechi had the chance to make this team but did not show up. When they had the break from their clubs, some players like Kehinde Olanrewaju who plays in Israel came all the way to join this team; Musa Yahaya who also plays in England like Kelechi came to show his face. I have also seen and spoken with others too but Kelechi did not show up. But he is still a part of this team anyway.
“As regards the case of goalkeeper Dele Alampasu, he was dropped from the team because we had a deadline given to all players to report to camp and he did not meet up and that was it. Taiwo Awoniyi like Alampasu asked for permission and I told him if he fails to report on Friday the deadline, he won’t make the team. The guy dropped whatever he was doing and reported but Alampasu did not.
“So why would only [Alampasu] fail to meet the deadline? He said he was doing his International Passport but I expected him to report to camp first and then when the passport is ready I would have permitted him to go and pick it up. I have told the players that if you want to be a part of this team you have to be disciplined. That is all,” Siasia concluded.
The Nigeria U23 squad will face the Congolese U23 side on Wednesday, July 15 in the first leg game in Port Harcourt.
0 comments:
Post a Comment