Sam Ade, Abuja: The Nigeria Football Federation has faulted former Super Eagles’ coach Samson Siasia’s claims that inadequate preparation contributed to the failure of the Flying Eagles at the FIFA U-20 World Cup finals in Turkey.
NFF spokesman, Ademola Olajire insisted in Abuja on Thursday that no NFF administration has prepared Nigeria National Teams for international championships the way the Aminu Maigari-led Executive Committee has done since inception.
“Coach Siasia got it wrong by saying that inadequate preparation was one of the factors that led to the Flying Eagles’ early ouster at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey. That team got the best of preparation and support that any National Team anywhere in the universe could have hoped for.
“Before the African Youth Championship in Algeria, the team camped in Nnewi (Anambra State) and went on a tour of Egypt and Tunisia that also served as final preparatory camps.
“After the African Youth Championship, the team went back to Nnewi, then travelled to Germany for a camping programme, travelled from there to France for the Toulon International Youth Tournament and then went back to Germany to finalise preparation, before flying to Turkey.
It is on record that no Nigeria team had previously participated in the 46-year old Toulon tournament. To say the team did not get adequate preparation was certainly over the bar.”
Olajire added that Siasia himself was a benefiary of adequate preparation of National Teams for matches and competitions during his stint with the Super Eagles.
“Coach Siasia himself can testify to the fact that he was given the best of support and preparation for every match he played as Head Coach of the Super Eagles during his stint between December 2010 and October 2011. I am also aware that he got good support and preparation
for his team as Coach of the U-23 team (Dream Team) to the 2008 Olympics.
“In the past three years, all our National Teams, from Super Eagles, Dream Team, Flying Eagles, Golden Eaglets, Super Falcons, Falconets, Flamingoes, Supersand Eagles and the home-based Super Eagles have been granted total support and excellent preparation for their matches and
competitions, and that is one area for which Nigerians from all walks of life continue to praise the present NFF administration.”
