PEOPLE AND PLACES IN THE NEWS
Disgraced coach banned for life
Samson Siasia
PEOPLE AND PLACES IN THE NEWS
T
he repercussions
from the match-fixing
epidemic that Wilson
Perumal instigated
across Africa continue
to deliver sanctions,
with the former Nigeria
player and coach the latest – and by
far the most high profile – of those to
be punished.
The 52-year-old has been banned for
life by FIFA for his involvement, when
coach of Nigeria, in a concocted result
against Argentina, in Abuja in June 2011.
Referee Ibrahim Chaibou of Niger
awarded two controversial penalties
during the game, with Victor Obinna
scoring for Nigeria in the 27th minute
and Mauro Boselli on target for Argentina
with the last kick of the match.
So contrived were the matchofficial’s efforts to ensure a consolation
goal for Argentina in a 4-1 defeat that
he added seven minutes of stoppage
time to the international friendly. Within
days, FIFA had publicly flagged up the
game for investigation.
Siasia’s exact role in the affair has
not been made public but FIFA says he
accepted bribes to manipulate the result.
The Nigerian denied any involvement
and when asked for a reaction in the
hours immediately after his punishmentwas pronounced he denied even knowing
that FIFA had been investigating. He
did, however, cancel a planned press
conference when it emerged he had
been invited months previously by FIFA
to give his side of the story.
“I’ve not done anything wrong and will
continue to fight to clear my name,” says
Siasia. “Everything is now in the hands of
my legal team.”
A key member of the Nigeria side that
won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in
Tunisia and went to the US the same year
for the Super Eagles’ maiden World Cup
appearance, Siasia moved from Lagos to
Belgium in 1987 and made more than
150 appearances for Lokeren before
joining Nantes in France. He scored 16
goals in 51 games for his country.
His early coaching successes include
leading Nigeria to the 2005 Under-20
World Cup Final, where they lost to
Lionel Messi’s Argentina, and a silver
medal at the 2008 Olympics.
He was an assistant coach with the
national team before taking the job
full-time when replacing Lars Lagerback
after the 2010 World Cup. Failure to
qualify for the 2012 Cup of Nations cost
him the job 12 months later, although he
did return briefly in 2016 and took the
under-23s to the Olympics that year.
At the end of August, Siasia filed
an appeal with FIFA and CAS against his
life ban. He was also having to deal with
the kidnapping of his mother, Ogere
Siasia, for the second time in four years.
Mark Gleesonhis coaching experience was restricted
to one country. But he paid no heed to
such concerns and quickly set about
winning over the players, engaging
them in discussions and decision
making regarding the team’s direction.
The players have revealed that
Belmadi tightened the rules but also
worked hard on building the team spirit
that is vital in tournament situations.
There would also be no sacred cows,
with national skipper Riyad Mahrez
among those punished for tardiness.
Most importantly, he made tough
selection calls.
Star midfielder Yacine Brahimi,
for example, lost his place to Ismael
Bennacer, who had flopped at Arsenal
and been relegated at Empoli but went
on to be named player of the tournament
in Egypt this summer.
“He put his confidence in his players
and his choices were wise,” says Fergani.
Mark Gleeson
Life ban...former
Nigeria coach Siasia
On top...celebrating success
at the 2019 AFCON“I’ve not done anything wrong and will
continue to fight to clear my name”