Siasia: Facing The Reality Of Winning The Olympic Gold From Suwon Lessons

The Nigerian national u-23 team coach for men's football coach Samson Siasia, seems to have woken up to the reality of the need to fix up a team that would meet-up with his self-set-target in the Rio 2016 Olympics billed to start in two months time. Siasia had earlier said his target in Rio Olympics was nothing less than gold in men football, but the recent performance of the squad in the just concluded Suwon tournament hosted by South Korea proves otherwise. Host South Korea beat Nigeria 1-0 in opening game, Denmark lashed Nigeria 6-2, while Siasia's boys managed to get a 3-1 victory over Honduras in last match to reduce the shame they had dragged Africa's name in the tourney. The four-nation tournament is a preparatory tourney for the Rio Olympics, and obviously, the coach would have seen that there are lapses in the squad he is planning to win "gold" with at the Rio Olympics. Getting this exact result at the group stage at the Rio Olympics, would obviously mean that the African champions may not have any business with the knockout stage, as they will be left with three points at the end of their three matches. Hence Siasia have to work hard to get the technical aspect right. Siasia has never beaten South Korea at the age-grade tournament before, and the Asia's runners-up to Japan maintained their position, by beating the Nigerian-side 1-0, reminding coach Samson Siasia of their previous encounter in 2005 when they defeated him at the group stage by 2-1. Interestingly, Siasia will be having a date with Japan in the group stage at the Rio Olympics. Siasia won silver with the Olympic team in Beijing 2008, anything less than this would be a waste of time. He has to put things in place to ensure he surpasses his previous record.