Nigeria Content Online

Super
Eagles coach Samson Siasia has reiterated his desire to have Nedum
Onuoha pledge his allegiance to the Nigerian national team but insists
the decision rests with the former England youth international.

Although born in
Nigeria, the 24-year-old Onuoha has spent the greater part of his life
in England and has represented the European nation 21 times at under-21
level.

Former Nigeria
national team handler, Berti Vogts was the first to make an attempt to
lure Onuoha to the Super Eagles back in March 2007 followed by his
successors, Shaibu Amodu and Lars Lagerback, ahead of the 2010 FIFA
World Cup in South Africa.

Even Siasia, soon
after he was appointed as the Super Eagles’ helmsman at the start of
December, contacted the Sunderland defender with the intention of
convincing him to pledge his international future to his country of
birth.

But Onuoha
reportedly said he needed more time to come to a decision which didn’t
come as surprise to some pundits especially as the English media regard
the former captain of the English under-21s as being capable of someday
earning a spot in the English senior national team.

Following his
failed attempt at luring Onuoha to the Super Eagles, Siasia informed
the media that he would not make any further attempts at contacting
Onuoha especially as he didn’t have that much trouble in convincing the
duo of former England junior internationals Shola Ameobi and Victor
Moses to pledge their allegiance to Nigeria.

Recent reports in
England however suggest that Onuoha is giving serious consideration to
representing Nigeria and is leaning towards pledging his future to the
Super Eagles.

Siasia’s patience
is however waning by the day even as he continues to stick to his
earlier pledge of not reaching out to Onuoha. But he nevertheless
insists the final decision rests with the Manchester City academy
product.

“Maybe with time,
I’ll also change my mind not to invite him anymore because I can’t wait
for that young boy telling me stories,” Siasia informed NEXT in Abuja.

He added: “I went to him. I drew the first blood, so it’s left for him to come back to me and tell me that he wants to play.

“I’m not saying that I don’t want him, but the decision rests with
him. If he wants to play, he has my number. So he can reach out to me
and tell me he wants to play for Nigeria.”