Nigeria U-23 coach Samson Siasia has revealed that his team will now be camped in Gambia ahead of the 2015 African U23 Championship in Senegal.
The team were meant to camp in Morocco ahead of the tournament which serves as qualifiers for the 2016 Olympics but delay in issuance of visa meant the Dream Team VI had to settle for another option.
“We have barely two weeks before the start of the Africa U- 23 Championship in Senegal and as I speak with you now the Embassy of Morocco have not issued visas for my players and officials for the trip. So I must tell you sincerely that my employers, the Nigeria Football Federation has acted very fast by assisting in securing another camp site in Gambia. So I am most grateful to them,” Siasia told Goal.
“Hopefully we may jet out to Gambia any time from now or latest Sunday to start our final camping for the competition. I and the rest of the coaches and the players have resolved to do anything humanly possible with God on our side and the support of football loving Nigerians, to win the competition and better still to pick one of the available tickets for next year’s Olympics in Brazil.”
Siasia also revealed that he is confident that Taiwo Awoniyi, Junior Ajayi and team captain Azubuike Okechukwu would be available for the tournament to start November 28.
“For now among the invited foreign based players that I am very sure they would make the camping for the African tournament are: team captain Azubuike Okechukwu, Taiwo Awoniyi, Junior Ajayi. I am also confident of some few others forcing their way into the team.”
Nigeria play Mali at the Stade Caroline Faye, M’Bour on November 29, 2015 before facing Egypt and Algeria in other Group B games.