Shortly after Austin Eguavoen warned Samson Siasia about the attitude of Eagles’ players, Mikel Obi, Vincent Enyeama and Victor Anichebe were seemingly proving him right.
Egavoen coached the Eagles before Siasia took over. He had described his experience with the players as “terrible” and warned that their attitude could pose stronger problems to Siasia than the opponents in match situations.
“They would fake injuries and fail to turn up at the last moment and even those who turn up may lack the commitment in executing matches,” Eguavoen said.
Wednesday night, as the Eagles made to leave on a chartered flight for Sunday’s Nations Cup match in Madagascar, the three players mentioned above turned nightmares to the technical crew and the federation.
The team had planned to leave by 8.30 pm after their original 1 pm departure time was rescheduled. The change afforded them time to train in the evening. Calistus Ebare, one of the spokesmen of the team captured what happened in Mitchel Obi’s popular Radio Programme, Peak Soccer Moment on Raypower yesterday. Calistus later spoke with this reporter. His words:
“Mikel complained about the flight arrangement that would see them stopping over in Congo or any other country to refuel. He wanted a direct flight and frowned at every arrangement the federation made. He refused to join the team bus as they made to leave for the airport. VictorAnichebe joined him.
They remained in their room. Vincent Enyeama was against traveling on Wednesday. He preferred Friday and wondered why officials fixed departure for Wednesday. He also would not join the rest in the bus.
Movement was delayed. Samson Siasia’s deputy, Simon Kalika, had to go upstairs to beg the players to join their colleagues. It was bad. The bus eventually left without them. The three players later showed up at the airport in another car. All these delayed their departure and they didn’t leave until 11 pm. That was a team that was scheduled to leave at 8.30 pm. The attitude of these players was not encouraging.
I’m sure that if Siasia was sure that Yobo and Ike Uche had landed in Madagascar and if there were no withdrawals due to injury, he would have dropped the three players because Kalika who went to beg them was even left behind at the hotel. He made his way to the airport later. What I saw wasn’t good. That’s not how to work for victory. I can’t say all is well with the team.”
On arrival from London for this assignment, Mikel Obi thanked Nigerians and the Federal Government for the concern everybody showed when his father was kidnapped by hoodlums three weeks ago. He said that he would, henceforth, show appreciation through dogged play for Nigeria. Could one reconcile his Wednesday night actions with his words on arrival?
Another top official of the federation said that the action of the players would be investigated.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everydayEgavoen coached the Eagles before Siasia took over. He had described his experience with the players as “terrible” and warned that their attitude could pose stronger problems to Siasia than the opponents in match situations.
“They would fake injuries and fail to turn up at the last moment and even those who turn up may lack the commitment in executing matches,” Eguavoen said.
Wednesday night, as the Eagles made to leave on a chartered flight for Sunday’s Nations Cup match in Madagascar, the three players mentioned above turned nightmares to the technical crew and the federation.
Mikel, Enyeama and Anichebe
“Mikel complained about the flight arrangement that would see them stopping over in Congo or any other country to refuel. He wanted a direct flight and frowned at every arrangement the federation made. He refused to join the team bus as they made to leave for the airport. VictorAnichebe joined him.
They remained in their room. Vincent Enyeama was against traveling on Wednesday. He preferred Friday and wondered why officials fixed departure for Wednesday. He also would not join the rest in the bus.
Movement was delayed. Samson Siasia’s deputy, Simon Kalika, had to go upstairs to beg the players to join their colleagues. It was bad. The bus eventually left without them. The three players later showed up at the airport in another car. All these delayed their departure and they didn’t leave until 11 pm. That was a team that was scheduled to leave at 8.30 pm. The attitude of these players was not encouraging.
I’m sure that if Siasia was sure that Yobo and Ike Uche had landed in Madagascar and if there were no withdrawals due to injury, he would have dropped the three players because Kalika who went to beg them was even left behind at the hotel. He made his way to the airport later. What I saw wasn’t good. That’s not how to work for victory. I can’t say all is well with the team.”
On arrival from London for this assignment, Mikel Obi thanked Nigerians and the Federal Government for the concern everybody showed when his father was kidnapped by hoodlums three weeks ago. He said that he would, henceforth, show appreciation through dogged play for Nigeria. Could one reconcile his Wednesday night actions with his words on arrival?
Another top official of the federation said that the action of the players would be investigated.
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I pray the people realize what it takes to win with commitment and get it done anyway this will show to sia 1 that he really need to go back to the drawing board and get thing down. if westerhof could deal with him for not passing the ball to Amokachi during the 1992/93 world cup preparation then what he must do is to get back-up plain and train this committed ones till they become warriors ,then can he go to sleep . For now, it sleepless night o boy
ReplyDeleteThis is very serious. I just prayed that they try to get themselves together and do this task so that they can laugh at the end because Nigerians are watching them...expecting something from them and they must not fail us once more. :)
ReplyDeletewell if siasia thinks he is going to be successful as a national coach of Nigeria by relying on the likes of Mikel Obi well he is heading for the rocks lik others b4 him in our recent football history.i though he was wiser than this.
ReplyDeletei honestly dont see anything spectacular about those players except been lucky to be playing outside the country and earning huge salaries that has blown their egos out of proportion the usual nigerian sydrome !money makes up for all!.
goodluck coach