Nigerian U-23 Dream Team stranded in US, could miss Rio Olympics

The Nigerian Dream Team

– The U-23 Dream team is begging for money in the USA

– Samson Siasia says there are no funds to cater for the team

– The Team could miss the Rio Olympics without funds

– Siasia calls on President Buhari to help approve funds

The U-23 Dream Team is stranded in Atlanta, USA where they are training and begging for money, head coach Samson Siasia has said.

According to the Daily Post, the former Super Eagles coach has called on President Muhammadu Buhari, to come to their rescue, saying “we cannot be going for Gold and we are begging for money.”

Speaking of the challenges the team is facing in Atlanta, the coach said the steam was begging for money around to take care of the footballers.

“It is not a good image to go to the Olympics while trying to beg for money around, actually begging people for money to take care of the Nigerian Olympic team. How are we going to win gold, if we keep begging for money to take care of our athletes?,” he lamented.

“We don’t have money. We are in the (United States of) America now without any money. So, it is a big problem.

“We are without any money in our pocket. There are no funds coming from anywhere. That is not a good thing.

“When you have players who are not motivated and encouraged, but you want them to come and do a miracle. Everybody needs to be encouraged at one time or the other.”

Siasia also noted that other athletes aside footballers were in dire need of funds to survive in the country.

He added: “We just want to appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to come to the rescue of sports in the country as our father and sports-loving President.

“The sports sector is dying and it is adversely affecting the Olympic teams that have qualified to represent Nigeria at the Rio Olympics Games, not just football, but the other (seven) sports that Nigeria will campaign in in Rio.

Samson Siasia

“The reason is well known which is the sports ministry needs to be funded adequately. This has adversely affected the Nigeria Football Federation too. Everybody is borrowing.

“This has to stop. President Buhari has to help us by approving some funds for our Olympic teams to prepare well. If the funds are not there, how are you going to prepare to win gold?”

The Dream Team VI will play two warm-up matches in the USA, before they travel to Brazil on July 29.

The Dream Team was recently defeated by the Mexico U-23 national team with Marco Antonio Bueno scoring the only goal in the 65th minute.

In the previous match, the U-23 Team were defeated 4-3 by the Flying Eagles.

Meanwhile, Manchester City have refused to allow Kelechi Iheanacho to take part in the Rio Olympics with Nigeria.

Iheanacho, 20, was named in Nigeria’s 35-man provisional squad for the 2016 Games, but, unlike at previous tournaments, clubs are not obliged to release players to take part.