U-23 team arrives in The Gambia with three Golden Eaglets

Sokari, Anaezemba, Etor dropped for indiscipline
NIGERIA’s Under-23 national team arrived The Gambia for a 10-day training programme ahead of the second Africa U-23 Cup of Nations taking place in Senegal.

Thenff.com learnt that the ARIK Air aircraft conveying the team from Lagos lost a tyre on landing at the Kotoka International Airport, Accra.

The airplane that was on ground in Accra was then deployed for the purpose of flying the team to The Gambia, but that also lost an engine on takeoff and the pilot had to make a quick return.

However, ARIK provided another aircraft that flew the delegation to The Gambia through Dakar.
Meanwhile, Coach Samson Siasia has wielded big stick by dropping Kingsley Sokari, Nzube Anaezemba and Daniel Etor for what he termed indiscipline.

Siasia said 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 traveling 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.

Siasia then wished them well in their pursuit of club glory, while urging them to wish the national team well.

FIFA U-17 World Cup record goalscorer, Victor Osihmen, who was invited alongside three of his victorious teammates, joined up with the U-23 team to The Gambia.