The exceptional performances of four players from the current Golden Eaglets team has seen them earn invitations to the Nigeria U-23 National Team.
Head coach of the U23 team, Samson Siasia, confirmed the invitation of the quartet to the camp of the Dream Team in preparation for this month’s Africa U-23 Cup of Nations in Senegal.
According to a statement on the NFF official website, Siasia, who already secured the approval of the NFF for the invitation of the youngsters, called up skipper of the side, Kelechi Nwakali, tournament’s top scorer, Victor Osimhen, and the two wing –backs, John Lazarus, and Udochukwu Anumudu.
Osimhen finished as the top scorer in Chile, scoring a record-breaking 10 goals while Nwakali was voted as the MVP of the tournament.
Speaking on the qualities that made him invite them, Siasia said: “I have been monitoring the progress of these boys while the team was being built by my brother, Emmanuel Amunike. Don’t forget we were in the same hotel and used the same pitch to train and I have been impressed with what I saw them do in Chile, so I think what I just did was rewarding them for a job well done.
“Their invitation is only to tell other players that they too can progress to the senior cadre if they are level headed and keep working on their game. For me age is not a factor; if they can give me what I want, then they will be part of my team to Senegal. But they must justify their invitation for no player in my team has automatic shirt.”
Siasia added that he had with the approval of the NFF given the four invited players one week to rest with their families before joining up with the rest of the squad in Gambia where the team would be putting finishing touches to its preparations for Senegal.
The tournament in Senegal also doubles as the Olympic Qualifiers for Africa.
