I'm not a Samson Siasia fan. I also don't intend to turn coat. But, as a Nigerian eager to watch the Super Eagles play exciting football, I want to appreciate some of Siasia's initiatives as he attempts to clear the deck for a new dawn.
My excitement stems from the fact that Siasia appears to know the basic needs of the Eagles.
If you ask me, the Eagles need a new mentality and it can only be imbibed by enlisting more Nigerians in the Diaspora in the squad. This new mentality should include making the fight for jerseys more competitive.
Our players are not committed to the national cause. Playing for Nigeria looks like a distraction, hence they play Nigeria's international matches as if nothing is at stake. They raise people's hope with their club performances, but fail to replicate such form in the Eagles.
Of course, most of them have their Eagles shirts guaranteed and so, care less whilst preparing for competitions. It is this overconfidence among some players that deteriorates into indiscipline and the presence of cabals within the Eagles.
For instance, at the South Africa 2010 World Cup, the Eagles were broken into ethnic blocks- North, East and West. Most of them, gripped by a senseless spirit of malice, were not on speaking terms. They found common grounds only when the issue at stake bordered on cash- match bonuses and fight for increase in their earnings. How could such a team have won?
Bravo Siasia (http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/columnist/saturday/ade-ojeikere/24087.html)