Nigeria U23 coach Samson Siasia has warned latest invitees and Eaglets stars Victor Osimhen and Kelechi Nwakali they will not be handed automatic shirts in his team.
Osimhen, Nwakali as well as fullbacks John Lazarus and Udochukwu Anumudu have been handed call-ups to the country’s Olympic team on the back of their superlative showings at the U17 World Cup in Chile.
Nwakali was MVP of the U17 World Cup, while Osimhen was goal king with 10 goals.
“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,” warned Siasia after he invited the players to his team.
“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.”
The NFF have approved for the four invited players to rest for a week with their families before joining up with the rest of the squad in Gambia, where the team will now be putting finishing touches to their preparations for CAF U23 championship, which will also be the qualifying tournament for next year’s Rio Olympics.
