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Soccer: Nigeria’s
long road to Beijing
With just over a month to go before the
Men’s Olympic Football Tournament Beijing 2008, Nigeria begin an
odyssey that will take them across the world before they arrive in
China for the Games.
The Nigeria U-23 side are known as Dream Team IV, a reference to the
American Olympic basketball side who first used the moniker in their
bid for gold in Barcelona 1992, four years before Nigeria became the
first-ever African side to take one of football’s top prizes. This
is a measure of the ambition, and self-confident swagger, that
Nigeria will take to Beijing, where anything but a medal will spell
disaster for coach Samson Siasia and his team.
The side have just completed a 10-day training camp in Portugal at
the start of their preparations and are now set to head to Asia,
across the Atlantic Ocean via the USA.
There are two warm-up matches set for US shores, both against
Uruguay. However, they will not play their American hosts, who are
paired in the same Olympic group in Tianjin and Beijing. After their
US adventure, the Nigerians will head to South Korea, where Siasia
wants his player to acclimatise for 10 days before the final trip
onto China.
The warm-up schedule doesn’t stop there, either, because before they
open their Men’s Olympic Football Tournament campaign, Nigeria have
arranged a friendly against hosts China. In the competition, they
have been paired in the same group as Japan, USA and the
Netherlands.
Senior experience
Siasia’s preparations over recent weeks have been hampered by the
fact that several of his key players have not been available because
they have been on senior duty in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The
Super Eagles amassed a four-match winning streak and are the only
nation to have made 100 per cent sure of progressing to the final
phase of African qualifiers for the 2010 showpiece in South Africa.
The Olympic coach will have been pleased, however, with the
international exposure given to strikers Victor Anichebe and Obinna
Nsofor and regular game time in defence for the flying full-back
Taye Taiwo, whose ability from set pieces is among the most
respected in world football.
There is no indication yet from Siasia on which overage players he
will be taking to Beijing, although many of Nigeria’s full
internationals have already publicly stated their desire to be a
part of the Olympic adventure. This includes England-based defender
Danny Shittu and the veteran midfielder Seyi Olofinjana, who also
plays in the second tier of English league football.
More interesting will be the approach over the selection of John Obi
Mikel, the undoubted starlet of Nigerian football who ran foul of
Siasia when he missed the qualifying campaign after initially
indicating he was available for selection.
Siasia vowed in March not to pick the Chelsea midfielder but Obi
Mikel proved for the senior side in June just how valuable he can
be, and the U-23 coach might yet be persuaded to pick him. Also in
line for selection are the likes of Promise Isaac and Chrisantus
Macaulay, stars at recent FIFA U-20 and U-17 World Cups.
As for Siasia’s ambitions, he is making no attempt to downplay the
chances of glory. After winning an eight-nation tournament in
Malaysia last month, his goal was made crystal-clear: “I have faith
in this team that we will conquer the world.”
Source: FIFA.com |
