Nigeria Content Online

Super
Eagles coach, Samson Siasia has been criticised for labelling the coach
of the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone, Christian Cole, a comedian.

The Super Eagles
handler, while answering questions at a post-match press conference
after last Wednesday’s international friendly in Lagos, which ended 2-1
win in favour of Nigeria, called Cole a “comedian coach”. Siasia’s
comment was a reaction to an earlier statement by the Leone Stars
coach, also at the press conference, that his side were better than the
Super Eagles.

Cole, had accused
the Beninese match referee, Crespin Acuidissou, of giving “undue
advantage” to the Super Eagles, saying that such a move on the part of
the referee “will not help Siasia and his team” ahead of future
engagements.

He also said that
if any future game between both sides were to be “taken to a neutral
ground,” his side “will beat the Eagles.”

Head to head

The Leone Stars
have only got the better of the Super Eagles on just two occasions in
21 meetings. The last time they won the Eagles was in April 2001 when
they recorded a 1-0 win in a World Cup qualifier in Freetown. For their
part, the Super Eagles have won 14 of these games.

‘Inappropriate comment’

Despite the statistics, the Leone Stars have demanded an apology.

The Sierra Leonean
sports administrator, Gorge Wilson, feels Siasia owes Cole an apology.
He added that the apology will help prevent animosity between both
teams.

Wilson also told the Sierra Express Media that he would “like to throw a challenge to Siasia that Sierra Leone can beat Nigeria.

“Nigeria do not have a better side than the Leone Stars, we can beat them,” he insisted.

“Siasia calling
coach Christian Cole a comedian is insulting and inappropriate.
Football is a game of sport, although you want your team to win each
and every game, this is not always possible, however, determination,
effort, and true sportsmanship goes a long way too.

“As a coach, Siasia should know better on how to address a fellow
coach and to criticise in a professional way, not by throwing out some
off-hand comment that has no foundation. In fact, Siasia in his
capacity as head coach should display leadership qualities rather than
childish derogatory comments.”