ISIMA HAILS SIASIA ON HOME-BASED NEW EAGLES INITIATIVE

Siasia
Nations Cup winner back in 1980, Okey Isima, MON, has hailed the decision of Super Eagles' Manager, Samson Siasia's, decision to invite an all-home-based players for the Obama invitational duels due in January but says that he should not stop at that.

Isima, who is consultant to Ondo State on the rehabilitation of sporting infrastructure, noted that it was a good move on the part of Siasia to call up an entirely home-based players for the invitational duels, stressing that this is the only way he could create his own squad that would be able to deliver for him.

Giving reasons for his support, Isima noted that with players from the local league, Siasia would be able to have as many substitutes who would also do the job better than even the first choice players. 'I must commend Siasia for his choice of players because it would help our domestic league. In fact, he should build his team around players from the domestic league, so that our foreign-based players would have to work harder for

a place in the team. That was what made us exceptional in our days. We played together in the league and got to know ourselves and by the time we met in the national team, we bettered our combination. This is exactly what Siasia needs now and not having to let everyone that plays in one obscure league comes in, all in the name of playing professional football abroad.

He noted that players of his time got matured playing in the league before heading abroad. 'Most of our players just after five matches want to head to Europe to play and mostly they fail to measure up. The only true reason for this is that the players lack the basics before jumping into the plane for greener pastures. It doesn't work out that way. If Siasia makes the domestic league players his core choice, then those playing abroad would know that they have a tough task ahead of them,' Siasia said.

The former Green Eagles defender, however, noted that for Siasia's homeboys to have zeal to deliver, he would need to give them the necessary exposure and with that, the sky would be their limit. 'I remember that during our playing days, we were given exposure, so that there was no complex problems on the part of the players. Siasia would need to build their confidence to such a level that they can go all out for victory.