Abuja (Nigeria), Feb 28 (IANS) Nigeria's newly appointed football team head coach Samson Siasia has assured the country that the consortium of coaches put together for the team would secure a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) ticket.
Siasia gave the assurance here shortly after the Technical and Development Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) announced his appointment on Sunday, reports Xinhua.
He said the experience of the coaches, who include 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup-winner Emmanuel Amuneke, as well as Salisu Yusuf and Alloy Agu, would see the team through. Both Yusuf, as assistant coach, and Alloy Agu, as goalkeeper trainer, had served under Sunday Oliseh, who quit on Friday.
A consortium of coaches, led by Siasia, was appointed by the NFF on interim basis following the resignation of Sunday Oliseh. Siasia will work with Yusuf, Amuneke and Agu for the upcoming 2017 AFCON qualifiers against Egypt next month.
Siasia steered the Nigerian Under-20 team to the African title in 2005 and led them to the runner-up spot at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in the Netherlands the same year. He also led the U-23 team to the 2008 Olympic silver.
Two months ago, he had led Nigeria to win the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations in Senegal which ensured the country's qualification for this year's Rio Olympics.
