SIASIA UNVEILS OLYMPIC U-23 SQUAD

Nigerian dream Team IV handler, Samson Siasia is all set to unveil his final squad list for the Beijing Olympics, later on Wednesday.
The former Nigeria international has however told Complete Sports he won’t make public his team list until he assertains the availability of a handful of players who are yet to arrive at the U-23 team’s camp in South Korea.Asked about the outlook of his final squad list for the Olympics, Siasia replied: “I can’t be completely certain about the list at the moment because some of the players I am banking on have yet to arrive.
“They are important players and until I am sure they will be coming I can’t take a decision.”Osaze Odemwingie is obviously one of the handful of players apparently giving Siasia second thoughts regarding the final squad list for the Beijing Games but Siasia has described the former Lille of France player as the ideal professional following the Russian - based forward’s resolve to join up with the rest of the Nigerian Olympic soccer team at their Korean base.
The Lokomotiv Moscow player recently expressed his readiness to head off to the Dream Team IV’s camp as soon as possible notwithstanding his Russian clubside’s tight fixture schedule.
The Russian Premier League is approaching the midway point and the Railwaymen will get to play two games within a space of four days beginning with Wednesday’s top of the bill encounter against UEFA Cup holders Zenit St. Petersburg.
Odemwingie is expected to lead Lokomotiv’s forward line in Wednesday’s fixture but he has expressed his determination to jettison the subsequent game and team up with the Nigerian U-23 side in the Far East, even though the decision is likely to incur the wrath of his employers.
It is however an entirely different scenario with the likes of goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and electrifying forward Ikechukwu Uche whose clubside’s have separately expressed their unwillingness to release their prized assets for, arguably, the greatest sporting event in history.
Siasia will however welcome Odemwingie to Korea with open arms and has lavished encomiums on the 27-year-old for his high level commitment and dedication to the national team’s aspirations.
“Osaze is the only player among the invited over-age players that I am sure will be available [for the Olympics]. He is the only one I have spoken to and he hopes he can join us after his game on Wednesday,” began Siasia on the line from Korea.
“He has always been a top professional, the ideal professional, if you ask me. He is cool-headed and a natural leader. He is also very strong and I love his commitment and dedication to the team.
“He is the only one that is at the moment fighting his club to ensure his release for the Olympics.
“Vincent’s club [Hapoel Tel-Aviv] are proving quite difficult and Uche has long told me it would be difficult for him to secure his release from his club [Getafe].
“He (Uche) would love to go to the Olympics but his club seems to be saying no way,” added Siasia, who isn’t outrightly pleased with the deal reached between the representatives of Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi and his German clubside, Hoffenheim.
The Bundesliga newcomers, following their discussions with Ogbuke, as well as his FIFA licensed agent John Shittu, agreed to release the youngster for the Beijing Games thus making an about-turn from their earlier decision to hang on to their star forward for the whole duration of the Olympics.
Hoffe, as the “Village” club are known to their teeming fans, will however not release Obasi until August 1, six days before the U-23 team’s opening fixture against Holland in Tianjin and Siasia hopes the situation can be redressed.
“I know I am powerless to do anything about it but I have told them I want him 14 days to the Games. I just don’t buy the idea of him coming on August 1,” continued Siasia.
“If he comes on August 1, it will take him a minimum of three to four days to adapt to the weather and the time zone.
“If he leaves on August 1 he will probably get here the next day.
“I just don’t understand why the coach (Ralf Rangnick) is proving stubborn. He’s just been inconsiderate,” added Siasia.