Eagles Coach Wants Match Shifted From Lagos Because Of Boo Boys
Maigari Insists Game Must Be Played In Front Of Critical Fans



FOOTBALL:
The Nigeria Football Federation and Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia are heading for a clash over the venue for next month’s key Nations Cup qualifier against Ethiopia, Complete Sports has exclusively learnt.

While NFF President, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, has confirmed that the game will be held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, Siasia is not willing to expose his wards to the harshly critical Lagos fans again.

Siasia was apparently displeased with the attitude of the Lagos fans who booed his team even when they were leading Sierra Leone in Wednesday night’s friendly match.

The former Flying Eagles coach, who began his reign as coach of the senior national team with a nervy 2-1 win over the Leone Stars, also believes that the artificial turf was one major reason his team failed to impress and will have to decide with the players if the game could still hold at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.

“Mikel couldn’t feature in the friendly because of the artificial turf,” he said. “Also others who were nursing one injury or the other were not comfortable with the artificial turf. But nothing has been decided yet. I will have to discuss this with the players if we should go back to Abuja for our next game against Ethiopia next month,” he said

But Maigari insists that the NFF intends to bring more Super Eagles matches to the Centre of Excellence, which is regarded as the home of football in the country.

“There’s no way that the Eagles will play only one game in Lagos. We intend to bring more matches to Lagos where we believe is the home of football in the country. The game against Ethiopia is a must win for us and we won’t see the boos from the fans as a setback in achieving that aim.

“The fans reaction in that game should not be seen as anything negative, but something that will make the team stronger when they play in front of them next time. The team will get better with time and impress them.

“We want the best for the Super Eagles and all the national teams. Our goal is to maintain Nigerian football’s steady development, although to ensure we continue our development, we have to improve our structures,” he added

Comments

Roy
Feb 11, 2011
Can the NFF. Lease elt the coach do his job! Nigeria has 36 stae he can pick anywhere he wnts to play his matches! All he needs is their support.

Jay
Feb 11, 2011
Please NFF. Leave coach samson alone and let him do his job. it is just too early to dictate for him. He need your support and encouragement.

Mr Olu
Feb 11, 2011
This is why it is very difficult for foreign coaches to work with NFF. Now they want to start the same political dictatorship on Siasia. Maigari or what ever he call himself, has he play or know how it feels to play football in a big stadium with crowd around? So, why arguing with the coach who have knowledge and the experience. Or if Maigari feels he knows better, he can take over the coaching job and leave his position for Siasia. Maigari his colleagues should allow Siasia to do his job in the best way it suits him for a better result. Which is the goal of the team and the dream of every Nigerian.

Ayegba
Feb 11, 2011
NFF,Leave this man Siasia alone,if he chooses Abuja or calabar even anywere in Nigeria,what is the big deal with that.sha,this is the usual way of naija.imposing power.let Siasia take is decision.do anyone of the NFF member know what it takes to have injury and play on artificial turf.let siasia decide please.

Dorr
Feb 11, 2011
though I support Siasia's decision but I think the critical fans in Lagos will enable the eagles to improve, nobody really succeeds without criticism

Temitope Brown
Feb 11, 2011
Good talk from a wrong person.Siasia, watch ur back and never go against the Mob. Nigerians are like a Mob,if they like u support them and the believe and they will keep loving you more. You cant do without Lagos,whatever they (Lagosians) say bing on the entire Nigeria,they are the mouth piece of the nation. On the Booing, the Eagles need it. In Lagos,they know how to get result. If Eagles hasnt score u will hear "All we are saying give us one (1) Goal" and when the Goal inventually came then u will hear another version saying "All we are saying give us more Goals" in this clamouring the Eagles herselves undertand the their clamouring and they work assidiously to achieve and attain their wish (fans). Booing is a sign (notice) to the players and the Technical people (Coaches) that they are no more playing well or according to plan. The Fans in Lagos Understand the danger to not playing well to any other parties invovle in a team. So, this New Eagles should learn to adapt themselves in this environment in other to acieve Good Results and Make Eagle a Darling Team that we know them of. Thank you.

Niyi Olasehinde
Feb 11, 2011
NFF re always destroyinh Nigeria football,they shld pls siasia alone 2 decide where he wl play his ball witout those usless boo boys.

Suntor
Feb 11, 2011
dey were later relaxed so let dem b booed.@times,is not all about winning.bt let dem play gud futball.d 1 pple will enjoy wen watching.not d usual BIG MAN type dey r used 2.

Suntor
Feb 11, 2011
dey were later relaxed so let dem b booed.@times,is not all about winning.bt let dem play gud futball.d 1 pple will enjoy wen watching.not d usual BIG MAN type dey r used 2.

Stevedinho
Feb 11, 2011
As 4 me our new eagle 're 4 various club. these just their first time of playing together i hope with time siasia will blend them as nice team. But 4 the pitch, the pitch is ok only thing is that sierre lone played more better than we. So let's play 4 siasia n the best 4 him to come through.

Stevedinho
Feb 11, 2011
As 4 me our new eagle 're 4 various club. these just their first time of playing together i hope with time siasia will blend them as nice team. But 4 the pitch, the pitch is ok only thing is that sierre lone played more better than we. So let's play 4 siasia n the best 4 him to come through.

Bestman
Feb 11, 2011
I neva expected our eagles to win but was impressed, which means there is hope in our national team

Valentine
Feb 11, 2011
what are we sayin. the eagle played well initially. the boos were called for. please mr siaone, if u are good then learn to follow the hard way, 'cos thats the only way. let more match be played in lagos

Ola-thompson
Feb 11, 2011
Honestly,i was so disapointed on wed.when i heard this boo of a thing frm lagos fans,sia one is nt a magician,and this is d first game and afterall we won d game why d boo? And on d side of NFF pls let sia one decide cos if things goes wrong is d one to take d blame.

Joossylad
Feb 11, 2011
Siasia requested that he wanted the match to be played in Lagos & his request was granted.To be honest I was surprised by siaone's request knowing full well that the turf in Lagos is artificial.From experience artificial turf is dangerous to play on,Siasia should have known better.Forget about being booed,it's a wake up call that the team is not playing well.My surggestion is for all SE matches to be played on natural grass so that we can see the best of our new super eagles.Having said that common sence should apply.Taking the match against ethopia up north will give the visitor an advantage.Why not Abuja,Calabar or Porthacut.
To the football loving governor of Lagos state,pls kindly change the artificial turf at Tesilim Balogun stadium to natural grass so we can see more of SE at the home of football.Eko oni baje.

Prof. D
Feb 12, 2011
why must controversy set in just because of choosing a stadium for qualifiers when there are over five stadium in the country.

Debo Popoola
Feb 12, 2011
i think playin infront of booing fan at home shldnt b an excuse. what of if they are playin away match where they wil b surrounded by real foes. what the fans really want is an impresive eagle, not a struggling one. siasia and his boys shld see that has a stepping stones, not as obstacle.

So if he moves it elsewhere and they get booed again, is he going to ask for a change of venue again?

honeric01:

So if he moves it elsewhere and they get booed again, is he going to ask for a change of venue again?

To be fair, I think its d synthetic pitch that is bothering sia1.

^^^^

Footballers should be able to play on any pitch

why would a write say he cannot use ink to write except pen?

remember Chelsea vs Man U final in Russia? On what was the match played?

;d

is paining this guy so much dat siasia got the job thats why his critisizing him. just because i can play in mushin boys field don't mean that messi can also plays there well. let siasia players picks where they play the best so there won't be any excuses at the end

Is it because of the booing? These people paid money to come and watch SE play and they deserve to see the best of performances from the SE. These people queued up under scorching sun to get the match ticket to watch this game and the least the SE can do is to put a decent performance. I'm not encouraging the booing habit but I think it's being overflogged and it's not enough reason to change a match venue.

medjai:

Is it because of the booing? These people paid money to come and watch SE play and they deserve to see the best of performances from the SE. These people queued up under scorching sun to get the match ticket to watch this game and the least the SE can do is to put a decent performance. I'm not encouraging the booing habit but I think it's being overflogged and it's not enough reason to change a match venue.

TRUE!