Africa U-23 Cup of Nations: Siasia drops three players for ‘indiscipline’

Coach Samson Siasia has dropped three players from the Nigeria U23 team planning to hit Senegal for the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations which serves as the Olympic qualifier for the continent.

The trio interestingly are all Enyimba International players whom Siasia labelled as undisciplined.

The axed trio from the Dream Team VI are Kingsley Sokari, Nzube Anaezemba and Daniel Etor.

Siasia according to a statement from the NFF, explained that 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 travelling 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.”

Despite the series of up and downs that has characterised the preparations of the U23 team, Siasia is assuring that they would not be deterred by any difficulty they are going through right now, and that the team is poised to pick an Olympic ticket for the country.

The Dream Team VI have their work cut out as they will play Egypt, Algeria and Mali in Group B of the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations which starts later this month.