Head coach of Nigeria’s Under-23 football team, Samson Siasia insists success at the just-concluded 2015 Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) is not “an end” as regards his project with the Dream Team VI.
Nigeria beat Algeria 2-1 on Saturday in the Under-23 Afcon final to emerge champions in Senegal, booking a ticket to the 2016 Olympics as a result.
While admitting that the victory pleased him to no end, Siasia revealed that only success at the 2016 Olympics will represent Utopia.
“I was coach of Nigeria during the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008, when we reached the final, and in 2016 we will aim to do more than reaching the final by winning the (gold) medal,” Siasia said.
Siasia and his victorious charges arrived in Nigeria from Senegal to a heroes’ welcome.
Nigeria will now represent Africa in the men’s football event of the 2016 Olympics alongside Algeria and South Africa.
In 1996, Nigeria, inspired by Kanu Nwankwo won Olympic gold in the men’s football event.
Twelve years later, Nigeria’s under-23s, coached by Siasia almost repeated the feat but were beaten by a Lionel Messi-powered Argentina side that condemned the West Africans to a 1-0 defeat in the final.
Now Siasia says he will not be content with finishing as second best.
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