‘It would be very wrong to say Osimhen did not do well at the 2023 AFCON’ – Samson Siasia
Fomer Nigeria national team coach, Samson Siasia says ‘it would be very wrong to say Victor Osimhen did not do well at the 2023 AFCON.
Nigeria finished as tournament silver-medalists with reigning CAF Player of the Year, Victor Osimhen scoring jusst once in the competition.
Siasia said on BRILA that despite not scoring goals, Osimhen played a big part in Nigeria’s run to the final.
“It would be very wrong for people to condemn him (Osimhen) that he didn’t do well at the (AFCON),” Siasia, a 1994 AFCON winner with the Super Eagles said. “The role he played (at the AFCON) was very tough and technical one but no one to feed him with the kind of passes he needed as a striker.”
Despite scoring just one goal in the opener against Guinea Bissau in seven matches, Siasia praised Osimhen’s efforts throughout the tournament.
“The guy (Osimhen) was actually everywhere on the pitch, going up and down, and his presence alone created a lot of turbulence for our opponents throughout the tournament.
“But I’ve heard people saying it would be wrong for him to be taken to the Premiership because he scored just one goal at the Nations Cup.
“Of course, sometimes things like that happen in football but the most important thing is the team’s success and not an individual.
“If he did not score, he was working hard too to make sure the team succeeded. It’s a collective job, and I think the boy has done his best. It may not be good for now, but it was good enough for every one of us in Nigeria,” Siasia noted.
