RIO 2016: Siasia settles for Ighalo

DREAM Team VI chief coach, Samson Siasia, has revealed that he would pick Watford FC of England forward, Odion Ighalo, among the three overage players he intends to beef up his team with ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, adding that he has not made up his minds on the other two.

Answering questions from sports writers at the Glass House Siasia maintained that if Ighalo continues with his current form, he would be the number one player he would consider to fortify his attack, declaring: “We need him to score goals for us. Odion is the only Super Eagles players playing and scoring goals in the Premiership. Everybody is looking at him and he is a good boy, gentle and discipline. I can tell you that if he is in good shape when we want to go to the tournament, he will of course be one of the players we want to pick. We need somebody like him to score for us.”

On whether he has decided on the other overage players, he said: “I have some players I am thinking about but the truth is that since the tournament is still six months away, we have to be cautious because the form of the players would be a factor. We cannot pick players who are in form now only for them to lose form in August.

“As for Mikel, if he shows serious interest in being at the games, then I will go into frank talks with him.”

Throwing more light on the planned international friendly with Brazil billed for next month, World Cup Coach, as friends and acquaintances fondly call him, explained that the outing would be bankrolled by the Brazil football federation, adding that it would be a two legged encounter.

“We are going to play two games against their U-23 team. They are the ones who invited us and footing our bills. The first leg comes up on March 24 while the second leg will take place on March 28. The matches will come up during the FIFA international friendly windows and it will give us the opportunity to see the players we are considering for the tournament.”