By Gbenga Jolaosho
Abuja
Coach of the National U-23 team Samson Siasia has assured that he will select best players that can deliver the goods as he commenced screening of players he has invited for camping.
Many of the invited players from the national league yesterday reported at the Goal Project Package B of the Abuja National Stadium to join others who have also been called up to jostle for a place in the team while Coach Siasia declared that the screening exercise will be strictly based on merit.
“Well we hope to get the right caliber of people we want as the league players are now here. We have started the exercise and if we are still not able to get the right people we want it means the search exercise will continue,” said the Under-23 gaffer, who is fondly called SiaOne.
The former Super Eagles coach reiterated that he would go round the country to dig out young and talented players that will not only help him to meet the mandate given to him by the Nigeria Football Federation but able to progress to the Super Eagles level.
“I will go round the country and ensure that I select players that will make us succeed; this is because we don’t have all the time now and February is fast approaching.
“We don’t want to pick old players. We want players that can help us as we merge them with the ones picked in the earlier screening and by so doing guarantee good materials for the senior national team”, he stated.
Siasia has the task of raising a formidable squad that will qualify Nigeria for the men’s football events of the 11th All –Africa Games taking place in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo in July 2015, as well as qualify for the CAF U-23 Championship taking place in DR Congo in 2015. He is also expected to the country for the men’s football event of the 2016 Olympic Games.