Super Eagles Is Off To Madagascar

Aug. 31, 2011- Nigeria’s Super Eagles coach, Samson Siasia is pulling all stops in order to ensure that the team is ready for Sunday’s crucial Nations Cup qualifier against Madagascar on Sunday.

The Eagles, currently camped in Abuja  will be leaving for the Madagascan capital, Antananarivo today aboard a chartered Air Nigeria plane.

The players had two training sessions yesterday, the first at 9a.m, which lasted for two hours, and another at 4p.m also for two hours. They are scheduled to hold a third session today before leaving for Madagascar in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, early arrival for training, John Obi Mikel has earned a lot of praise from the Eagles coach. Mikel’s father went through a most traumatic experience last week when he had a 10-day kidnapping ordeal. Obi Senior was rescued during a police raid in Kano and hosted a thanksgiving service at his church in Jos last Sunday.

Siasia lavished praise on the midfielder, who was previously alleged to shun national team duties.

“I am particularly happy that despite what happened to his father, the boy’s morale was not dampened. He was the first caller at our Transcop Hilton Hotel camp,” Siasia said, “I am very happy with this because it shows that the players know the magnitude of the Madagascar match which we must win to brighten our qualification chances for the 2012 Africa Nations Cup.”

“As a coach you are happier if these early callers happen to be first-team players. It shows that everybody is aware of the importance of the match.”

The players in camp as of Monday were Obinna Nsofor, Chinedu Obasi, Peter Utaka, Dele Adeleye, Mikel Obi, Emmanuel Emenike, Joel Obi, Victor Anichebe, Fengor Ogude and Ahmed Musa.

The entire backroom staff were also around with the exception of assistant coach, Salisu Yusuf, who travelled to Madagascar on Saturday with the Nigeria Football Federation advance party.(Daily Times)