Eagles Pledge Support For Siasia

There are strong indications that Super Eagles’ Chief Coach, Samson Siasia, will have no problem handling the senior national team.

Siasia, a former Nigerian international, took over as the coach of the Eagles last month.  Immediately he was unveiled he set off on the job with a tour of  the bases of Nigerian players abroad.

The former U-23 Eagles coach came back from his tour of Europe on Monday to  preparethe home base Eagles for the international invitational tourney tagged  Obama Cup in the United States.

It was reported that during his tour of Europe, Siasia was able to interact with many of the players and they pledged their support.

Dutch assistant coach of the team, Simon Kalika, said on Brila FM   that all the players pledged their loyalty and support for their chief coach.

According to Kalika, a close ally of Siasia since his reign as the coach of the national U-20 Flying Eagles to the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship,  the  players were glad to receive Siasia.

“All the players during the visit of the chief coach  pledged their support for Siasia. They  promised to work hard with him in order  to take the Eagles to  the next level,” said Kalika.

Meanwhile, Siasia has declared that during his tenure as the coach of the Eagles, no player will be given automatic shirt to play for the country. He said  the players should not have  illusion that their call up to the national team is a guarantee to play in any international engagement of the Eagles.

“There is no automatic shirt for any one. I will give them equal opportunities. Anyone that deserves a place in the team will be given a chance,” he told  SuperSport.com.

Meanwhile, Nigerian-born ex England international, John Fashanu, is questioning the commitment of several members of the Eagles when they represent Nigeria.

Fashanu said the players seem to hold back when on International duty with Nigeria.

“I wonder why  Nigerian players perform poorly when they play as a team. There is no spirit, they don’t get on well  and there is no camaraderie,” he said.

Fashanu  wondered why the same players usually put in more efforts when they play for their European clubs than Nigeria.

“These same individuals when they play for their European clubs, they are stars. We see them every week playing for Chelsea, Marseille, and Everton and we  wonder why they  play with low spirits when donning the green white green,” Fashanu said.

Fashanu, who won the English FA Cup with Wimbledon in 1988 said the anomaly can only be corrected with a European coach at the helm of affairs at the Super  Eagles.

“The European Coach brings two things, discipline and organization. Whenever our boys get together, (on international duty) I do not see discipline and  organization. Sadly, (former Coach), Lars Lagerback did not have enough time to rectify the wrongs which we have put into our (football) system,”

Fashanu, however, noted that Siasia’s appointment as Eagles’ coach is good  for the national team.

“He’s an excellent coach and he has started well. In the long run, a technical may be drafted in to support him but for now, the focus should be on building  a new and strong team,” he said.

Fashanu, 48, played for Norwich City, Lincoln City, Millwall, Wimbledon and Aston Villa racking up 134 goals in 383 club appearances.

The Fash, born of a Nigerian father and a Guyanese mother, also earned two caps for England against Chile and Scotland in a friendly tournament in May 1989  but never played for Nigeria.

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