Coach of the U-23 team, Samson Siasia, has cried out to the Nigeria Football Federation to come to his aid by directing the Nigeria Professional Football League clubs to release their players for preparation for next month’s All Africa Games in Brazzaville, Congo.
Siasia expressed this frustration on Tuesday during a training session in Abuja when he had only eight of the invited players in camp, as the others were not released by their respective clubs after he permitted them to play last weekend’s games.
He said on the Nigeria Football Federation website, “How can I prepare well for a competition as important as the All Africa Games when clubs in the local scene have refused to release their players for camping? We have barely two weeks to our first game and up till now I have only eight players to work with.”
“Most of the club managers called to appeal that we allow their players play last weekend’s games, a request I approved, with an appeal to them that they should release the players on Monday. This is Tuesday and I still have not seen the players as most of them have called to say their clubs are holding on to them for mid-week games. This is not fair.”
To make matters worse, some of the invited players, who were earlier in camp, had to leave for the Super Eagles’ camping, where they have also been invited by coach Sunday Oliseh.
According to Siasia, he had to make this appeal to the NFF, who is his employer and the father-figure of all the teams, to intervene in the issue. He also claimed some of his players have gone abroad to sign for clubs.
As at Tuesday’s training, only SegunOduduwa, Sincere Seth, IkechukwuOkorie, OlisehNdah, Etebong Elisha, Oladapo Augustine, Mohammed Yusuf and AbiodunAkande trained. The trio of TonbaraTiongoli, SemiuLaidi and NdifrekeEffiong sat out due to various injury concerns.
Meanwhile, Siasia has invited three more players to beef up the team. They are Stephen Eze (Sunshine Stars), LawalShittu (Giwa FC) and Christian Pyagbara (Sharks FC).
Source:punchng
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