By Daily Sports on August 4, 2016

Former Nigeria under-20 football coach, Ladan Bosso, believes the country’s under-23 footballers will perform creditably at the men’s football event of this year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The Dream Team VI will kick off their campaign in Rio on Friday morning in a Group B fixture against Japan.

Bosso, who is the current head coach of Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) club, El Kanemi Warriors, says poor preparations will count for nothing when the men’s football event at the Olympics get underway.

“There have been a lot of problems with our preparations for the Olympics but I have confidence in (under-23 head coach, Samson) Siasia and I believe he can manage the players to achieve desired results.

“They must have a very positive mindset towards their first match against Japan.

“At the preliminary stages of such competitions, it is important to win that first match.

“The minimum target should be four points from three group games but the third match is just as important as the first two,” he told supersport.com.

Nigeria will face Japan, Colombia and Sweden in the preliminary round of the competition and Bosso expects the side to do well amidst criticism over an underwhelming build-up.

“There is something I love to refer to as the ‘Nigerian character’ and that is what I believe will see us do well in Brazil.

“Anytime we have the best of preparations for major tournaments, we do not do well but when the reverse is the case, we perform excellently.

“This team will surprise Nigerians; I am very sure about that.

“Let us not also forget that this is not the first time Siasia is coaching at the Olympics so he knows what to expect.

“He will bring out the best in our players,” he said.

Nigeria won gold in the men’s football event at the Olympics in 1996 before settling for silver under Siasia in 2008.

•Text from supersports.com. Photo shows Ladan Bosso

Source Daily Sports

Posted August 4, 2016

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