Taiwo Adelu
Secretary General of Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Tunde Popoola, has said that the Dream Team VI’s qualification for the football event of Rio 2016 Olympic Games is a welcome development.
Nigeria picked one of the three African slots for the Olympics at the just concluded U-23 Africa Cup of Nations in Senegal, while the Coach Samson Siasia-led team also went ahead to win the tournament after defeating Algeria 2-1 in the final on Saturday.
“The qualification of the U-23 Dream Team for the Olympics is good news to us at the NOC. I think we should begin to count the number of Nigeria’s medals in next year’s Summer Games because we know that the Dream Team are medal potential side.
“The NOC will however want the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF to give the team good preparation that will make them have a good outing at the Olympics now,” Popoola said.
Meanwhile, former goalkeeper trainer of the Supper Eagles, Joe Erico, has canvassed for a good training programme for the Olympic-bound Dream Tream.
According to him, good preparation for the U-23 Eagles will guarantee good outing in Rio next year. “This team should be made to play series of top grade friendlies months before the Olympics. A long period of camping will also give the players better understanding of one another. My advice for the handlers of the team is that they should correct all the mistakes noticed during the Senegal championship,” Erico said.