Things we learned from Samson Siasia's first game

Things we learned from Siasia's first game

Posted: 2011-02-10 14:41

Nigeria beat Sierra Leone 2-1 in a friendly match in Lagos last night marking Samson Siasia’s first match in charge. Here are five things we came away with.

Five things we learned from Samson Siasia's first game:

1. Joel Obi is the truth. So is Ahmed Musa. Okay, so both are unpolished gems, but thats why they are in Europe playing club ball.

As if his confidence, movement and passing were not enough, Joel's set piece delivery seems to come gift wrapped with laser-guided technology.

Lets get Jay Jay Okocha (he's an NFF official, isnt he?) to go out to Italy and fine-tune the lad's ability.

Musa has already shown improvement from what I saw during his time at Kano Pillars, and in the Nations Cup qualifier at Conakry, where his final ball was way worse than yesterday.

It has been a while since we had a wide player with Flash Gordon tendencies, and if we can just get that final ball right. . .

2. Lagos fans need to grow up! There's a time to be upset with your team, and show your displeasure. This was certainly NOT that time.

Out there on the pitch were a collection of players who had barely played together before, with just one day of training under their belts, and that under the full glare and distraction of fans and media.

Yet, they still somehow contrived to play attacking, expansive football, with barely a threat to their area until some late subs which further threw them akilter. And the fans booed them! You got to be kidding me.
 
3. Siasia has some kingsize cojones on him. Not only did he call up local players, but he threw them into the afrray. He may have looked nervous at the end (I saw him biting his nails. Yuk!), but he maintains that they need the experience and says he will throw them in again. And again.

Plus, he did what we should have been doing a long time ago:
i. Injured players must come home to be assessed
ii. Late comers won't get game time (Mikel, Enyeama), and absentees will be shut out of future games (Moses, potentially).

4. NPL naysayers need to gorge on humble pie. Okay, I'll admit that I sometimes had my doubts despite being a big advocate of the local league. But didnt it feel totally good to see Ehiosu glide in to stab that ball home. It was a typical poacher's goal and one that showed the attitude that turns games on the right side of fine margins.

5. Finally, we need a right back asap. Chibuzor Okonkwo put in a decent, defensive shift, but a rightback must also offer offensive options, and we barely saw him cross the halfway line.

Substitute Olubayo who tried to advance when he came on, was caught out on one of those occasions, and Aiyenugba was left to pick the ball out of his net.

Either Siasia has to unearth a right back soonest, or we should all go into collective fasting and prayer to get Chidi Odiah a quick recovery and return to the Eagles.

But hey, look on the bright side. We played without some top players; No Enyeama, Mikel, the Uches, Nsofor, Obasi, Etuhu, Odiah and we still put out a team that dominated Sierra Leone.
Surely, if progress continues along this curve, there will be plenty to cheer down the line.

Oh, and feel free to disagree. . .