Nigeria U23 side face dire conditions in camp ahead of Rio 2016

According to an investigative report on goal.com, Dream Team VI coached by Samson Siasia face straitened circumstances as they prepare for Rio 2016. The situation is reported to be so bad training has been hampered by a lack of fuel and water. Read the report below....

It is tough times for the Nigeria U23 side which resumed camp in Abuja on Wednesday as its preparation for the 2016 Olympic Games is being hampered by lack of planning on the part of the federation.

Samson Siasia’s team failed to train at the National Stadium in Abuja on Friday evening after it was left without a bus to transport the players to their training ground.

There have also been threats by the owners of the hotel where the team is lodged, Starview Palace Hotel, Gwarimpa, Abuja, to throw them out of the hotel due to unpaid fees.

Less than two months to the kick off of the Olympic Men’s Football event where Nigeria have been seeded with Sweden, Japan and Colombia, the Dream Team VI is still struggling to reach high gear in its preparations.

On Friday, Goal’s reporter witnessed a deserted scene at the National Stadium Package A Training Pitch as the team failed to turn up.

On calling the coach, Siasia said he was left frustrated by the failure to secure fuel for the team bus while he had to beg a friend of his to provide transport for the team. However, this attempt also failed.

“We can’t come for the evening training because there is no bus to convey us to the stadium. But we hope to train tomorrow,” Siasia told Goal.

Goal also learnt that the team’s morning training session which witnessed a full house had to be halted as a result of lack of water for the players to drink.

Equally, none of the players and officials has been paid a dime for their trips to Brazil for a friendly match that they won 1-0 and the Suwon Invitational Tournament in South Korea where they lost two games and won one.

When squeezed by Goal, Siasia replied, “It is pathetic and very bad. This is the time we are supposed to concentrate on the team for us to achieve our goal and ambition of winning the gold medal in the Olympics this time around. But can we achieve this with the way things are?

“You guys (media) have not been helping us but it is to publish other stories that cannot help the team.

“But as a patriotic Nigerian I will do my best to psych up the players and my other colleagues to achieve our ambition.”

Attempts to reach the NFF’s director of communication, Demola Olajire for comments were unsuccessful. Dr Mohammed Sanusi, the general secretary, also did not pick his calls.

Siasia’s team also suffered deprivations on its way to winning the Caf U23 title in Senegal last year.

“We have passed through this way before and God helped us to overcome the problem. I believe God is still on the throne to help us overcome this one too. Nothing will stop us from making Nigeria proud by the special grace of God,” said Siasia who coached Nigeria to a silver medal at Beijing 2008.