Tag Archives: Samson Siasia

Samson Siasia’s Mother Kidnapped

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The mother of current head coach of Nigeria’s U-23 football team, Samson Siasia has been kidnapped.

According to reports, gunmen stormed the family residence of the Siasia’s in the early hours of Tuesday morning at Odoni community of Sagama Local Council Area of Bayelsa State and forcefully whisked away Siasia’s mother on a motorcycle.

Bayelsa State Police Command spokesperson, ASP Ansinim Butswat, has confirmed the incident saying that the matter has been reported, but details were still sketchy.
Speaking to the media on the incident, a distraught Siasia has expressed his confusion at the occurrence of the event. Siasia said: “Right now I am confused, from the story I got, three men on motorbike stormed my parents’ house in my village Odoni in Bayelsa State, shot sporadically into the air before taking my old mother away on a bike.
“What do they expect from me? I don’t have money, I am right now on national duty, and need all the time to concentrate on this very important national task. So, I beg them to please release my mother so that I can concentrate on this task of qualifying the U-23 National Team for the men’s football event of the Rio Olympics.”
In a statement released on the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) website, NFF president, Amaju Pinnick has appealed to the kidnappers to release the 72 year old mother of the coach. “This is quite disturbing. We are just preparing for a crucial 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match, and the U-23 boys are already in The Gambia for a pre-Cup of Nationstraining camp. Why this?
“All we can do is to appeal to the kidnappers to free Samson Siasia’s aged mother. Samson is on a critical national assignment presently and the last he needs is this kind of distraction,” Said Pinnick. As at the time of this report, it was revealed that the kidnappers are yet to demand ransom from the family.

 

Credit : Vanguard

Siasia, U-23 Team Escape Plane Crash In Ghana

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Nigerian U-23 team and their coaches including Samson Siasia escaped a plane crash on their way to Gambia on Sunday morning when their plane developed technical faults mid-air forcing the crew to make an emergency landing in Ghana.

 

The team were on their way to Gambia where they are expected to hold a 10-day pre-Africa U-23 Cup of Nations camping. The tournament, an African qualifying championship for the football event of the Rio 2016 Olympics, will hold in Senegal later this month.

 

Report on the website of Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, says though the team had eventually landed at their destination Sunday evening, they experienced near-death situation before they could get to The Gambia.

 

It was gathered that the ARIK Air aircraft conveying the team from Lagos lost a tyre on landing at the Kotoka International Airport, Accra. The airplane that was on ground in Accra was then deployed for the purpose of flying the team to The Gambia, but that also lost an engine on take –off and the pilot had to make a quick return.

 

ARIK, however, provided another aircraft that flew the delegation to The Gambia through Dakar.

 

Meanwhile, Coach Siasia has wielded th?e big stick by dropping Kingsley Sokari, Nzube Anaezemba and Daniel Etor for what he termed indiscipline.

 

Siasia said the players were sent packing after they requested to leave the camp to go for their Club’s (Enyimba) last NPFL game of the season against Sunshine Stars in Lagos, even after he (Siasia) had told all the players they could not leave camp.

 

“I feel bad in taking this decision, but discipline must be maintained for us to achieve success in Senegal. All players in camp were told not to leave camp as the team would be traveling this weekend to The Gambia for pre-Championship training, only for these three players to come and ask to be allowed to go play for their club as they wanted to be part of the victory parade. I had no option but to allow them leave and also in the process, leave them out of the team.”

 

Siasia then wished them well in their pursuit of club glory, while urging them to wish the national team well.

 

Credit: PM News

U-23 Nations Cup: Siasia Picks 26 For Morocco Camp

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Head coach of the national under-23 male football team, Samson Siasia, has picked 26 home-based players for the pre-Africa U-23 Cup of Nations’ training camp in Morocco.

According to a list released on Tuesday in Abuja by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the 26 players were picked from the 35 players earlier invited to camp.

The list is dominated by the 2011 All-Africa Games (AAG) bronze medal-winning group, including goalkeeper Emmanuel Daniel, defender Segun Oduduwa and midfielders Oghenekaro Etebo, Kingsley Sokari and Daniel Etor.

The team’s other old players, such as Christian Pyagbara, Mustapha Abdullahi and Austine Oladapo, however failed to make the cut.

Siasia also picked new players, such as Anaezemba Nzube, Prince Aggrey, Stanley Dimgba, Kufre Ebong and Bature Yaro.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the selected players and team coaching crew are expected to depart for Morocco where they will be joined by some overseas-based professionals.

Siasia’s team will play Egypt, Algeria and Mali in Group B of the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations taking place in Senegal from Nov. 28 to Dec. 12.

Below is the full list:

1. Emmanuel Daniel
2. Yusuf Mohammed
3. Emmanuel Iwu
4. Segun Oduduwa
5. Sincere Seth
6. Erhun Obanor
7. Daniel Etor
8. Oghenekaro Etebo
9. Godwin Aguda
10. Usman Mohammed
11. Ndifreke Effiong
12. Chukwuebuka Iroha
13. Stanley Dimgba
14. Kingsley Sokari
15. Godspower Effiong
16. Prince Aggrey
17. Bature Yaro?
18. Zaharadeen Bello
19. Amaefule Chizoba
20. Seun Olulayo
21. Tiongoli Tonbara
22. Kufre Ebong
23. Abubakar Aliyu
24. Anaezemba Nzube ?
25. Daniel Emmanson
26. Adebayo Ajadi