Samson Siasia: ''l dont fear Ghana squad''

SUPER Eagle’s chief coach, Samson Siasia, has declared that he has nothing to fear in the quality of players listed by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) for the August 9 international friendly against his team at Vicarage Road, Watford, England.

The Ghana FA had at the weekend released a list of players, mainly foreign-based and those that featured for the Black Stars at the last FIFA World Cup in South Africa, where the team was eliminated at the quarter-final stage as Africa’s best.

Siasia, who spoke to journalists at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Glass House, said he did not feel intimidated with the list, adding that both sides were equally matched and promised the fans a good game in Watford. He noted that the Super Eagle’s technical crew, as well as the NFF, has taken the match as very crucial, even though it is a friendly. Siasia said: “There is no way I can be intimidated by the quality of players Ghana has listed for the match. I acknowledge the fact that they have good and quality players, just as we have in the country.

“We are taking this match very seriously and I believe that we have to face the Ghanaians squarely and possibly secure a win against them on August 9. It is only the team that is ready and better prepared for the match that will come out successful on that day.”

He also noted that the friendly was coming at the right time, adding that the Nigerian team needed it as a top warm-up game before the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Madagascar in Antananarivo.

However, Black Stars’ defender John Mensah has boasted that the Super Eagles would be at the receiving end when both teams clash in August. Mensah declared that having beaten the Super Eagles 4-1 in an earlier friendly, it would not be impossible for the Stars to overpower the team again in Watford.

“The Super Eagles are a good team, they have good players and are one of the top teams in the continent, but I’m sure we are going to beat them come August 9,” he boasted during a press conference ahead of the match. Mensah played club football with English Premier League side, Sunderland, on loan from French Lique 1 side, Lyon, last season.