Beijing08 Decider: Mikel, Taiwo Out

The dream of coach Samson Siasia to parade a full arsenal this Friday when the Dream Team takes on the Black Meteors of Ghana in the crucial African Olympic qualifying match in Accra suffered a major set back yesterday when it was confirmed that the duo of, John Mikel Obi and Taye Taiwo will not be available for the match.

The decisive Accra encounter should have been the first time the bulk of the silver winning Holland 2005 squad had come together but feelers from the team’s camp revealed that the duo opted to join the Super Eagles in Saturday’s international friendly against Australia in London.

The Craven Cottage tie along with Switzerland next Wednesday, is part of the Super Eagles build up to the Nations Cup next January.

“The coach (Siasia) is very unhappy that the players opted out after reaching an understanding with the duo for them to be in Ghana,” an official revealed to THISDAYSports last night after the team’s warm up match against Lagos United at the National Stadium, Lagos.

However, in their absence, the likes of Obina Nsofor, Sanni Keita, Isaac Promise and Dele Adeleye have lifted the team’s sprit for the crucial encounter. But in a separate chat with Siasia last night, he assured Nigerians that the absence of the players will not affect the zeal of the team to come out victorious in Ghana because all the players in camp are physically and mentally fit for the match.

“Obi and Taiwo are still on national assignment but I know most Nigerians would have loved them to be with the Dream Team considering the importance of the match to us but you have to understand that no man is an island and every body must understand that they have their careers to protect,” said Siasia yesterday. In spite of this snub, he has not closed the door on them permanently hinting that should the Dream Team survive the Black Meteors then they will be part of the Beijing Games proper.

Taiwo, whose left back position has been under seriously threat, was said to have pleaded with the head coach to be left out so that he could join the Eagles and try impress coach Berti Vogts since the German is believed to be weighing up other options for the team ahead of the Nations Cup in Ghana. However, some of the players in camp are: Femi Ajiboye, Solomon, Abwo,Sanni Keita, Solomon Okonkwo, Dele Adeleye, Vanzekim Ambrose, Chijile Uwa, Chibuzor Okonkwo, Emmanuel Ekpo, John Owerri, Felix Okoronwanta, Adeyinka Adedeji, Chibuzor Ogbuke and Obina Nsofor.

The team will depart Lagos this morning by 9 am aboard a Virgin Nigeria flight and would be joined later in the evening in Accra by Israel-based Adebayo Olufemi.

The match will come up 3 pm Nigerian time on Friday which explained why the tune up match with Lagos United was played at about the same time. We also learnt that the Dream Team will wear white jerseys for the crucial match and are now scheduled to depart Accra on Sunday – 24 hours later than the original plan.