Nations Cup cracker: NFF, Siasia head for showdown over Eagles list

Posted by admin Headlines, Soccer, Sports Saturday, August 20th, 2011

Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia plans for a successful outing in the crucial Nations Cup qualifier in Antananarivo on September 3, 2011 against the Barea of Mozambique may run into a storm as the list of players he drew for preparation towards the match has been rejected by the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF.

According to an NFF source, Siasia was told to look at the list again, an indication that the football house is not in agreement with some of the players the Bayelsa-born tactician penciled down for invitation.

“The NFF turned down the list Siasia sent to them for players invitation for both the friendly against Argentina and the Nations Cup qualifier against Mozambique. They just told him to take a look at the list again,” our source said.

The action by the NFF, a friend of the coach told Sunday Vanguard sports yesterday, is causing Siasia some concern as “he (Siasia) feels the NFF is trying to be too overbearing on him”, adding that the coach is not ready to change his picks.

“Siasia feels that in as much as the NFF has right to ask questions on the list of players he has forwarded to them, they should not interfere in his job but give him free hand to select the players he feels could fit in to his match plans,”the source said.

According to our source, the NFF may have rejected the list because some of their favoured players were not listed for the Nations Cup qualifier, the same set of players Siasia is expected to field for the much expected second leg of the international friendly the Argentines are earnestly asking for to seek a revenge to the 4-1 mauling of their team in Abuja last June.

Another point the NFF officials are holding against Siasia is his failure to attend a meeting they called for last Friday night to discuss pressing issues but our source said Siasia has tendered an apology for his inability to attend.

Meanwhile Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella has named Barcelona star Lionel Messi in his squad for the international friendly against the Eagles next month. Gonzalo Higuain and new Manchester City star Sergio Aguero are also in the party but there is no place in the squad for City’s unsettled star Carlos Tevez. The game is being played in Bangladesh on 6 September, a few days after Nigeria’s latest Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Madagascar.

-Vanguardwp_posts