Posted by By Tony Ubani on
FORMER Flying Eagles coach, Samson Siasia has hit out at those begging Super Eagles skipper Austin Jay Jay Okocha to stay beyond his retirement plan to play for the Eagles in the Egypt Nations Cup, next year.
FORMER Flying Eagles coach, Samson Siasia has hit out at those begging Super Eagles skipper Austin Jay Jay Okocha to stay beyond his retirement plan to play for the Eagles in the Egypt Nations Cup, next year. Okocha, one of the best mercurial players to have ever come out from Nigeria had indicated that he would hang his booth after the World Cup in Germany. His plan hit the rocks following Nigeria's shameful ouster from their qualifying group.
Angola picked the ticket and would make their debut in the World Cup. Super Eagles coach, Augustine Eguavoen was quoted moments after the crash to have begged Okocha not to announce his retirement from the national team. But the silver-winning coach from the World Youth Championship in Holland, Siasia, said that it was absurd for people to prevent Okocha from waving bye to the national team. 'It pains to hear that some people don't want Okocha to go.
For goodness sake, Okocha remains the best player Nigeria has ever produced. He has paid his dues and must be respected when he says he wants to go. He should be allowed to go. There are so many talents in the country that will fit into Okocha's shoes. I don't subscribe to begging or preventing him from leaving", Siasia said. Speaking on Brila FM, the Bayelsa-born coach also said that preparation would determine Nigeria's chances in the Egypt Nations Cup.
'I'm not God to predict who will win the Nations Cup. There is no short-cut to preparation. If Nigeria prepare well and play many friendlies, the chances of doing well will be high. People must know that all countries have woken up in soccer and there is no gap between the big and small countries. We must do the right things at the right time for us to do well. You are aware of what I went through during the WYC, but one has to be grateful to God that we got to where we did. The preparation was near zero. That is not the way to prepare a team and hope to get good results", Siasia noted.