A former Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia has requested Osaze Odemwingie to provide proof of his claims about the 2008 Olympic Games misdemeanor or keep his mouth shut.
Odemwingie was one of the three over-aged players in the Nigerian Under-23 Dream Team. He made the allegation as a guest on the Super Eagles Instagram Live page during the week, saying he had issues with Siasia because he doesn’t like manager’s style of leading.
Odemwingie also alleged that some of the issues in match-fixing were the cause of Siasia’s case at the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) after he was banned by FIFA on allegations of match fixing.
Responding to Odemwingie’s claims, Siasia asked for proof of the allegations from the player or risk a lawsuit.
“I am alive l. Osaze should better show me evidence of his allegations or shut up his mouth. The next letter will come from my lawyer, not me exchanging words with him,” Siasia told THISDAY on thursday.
Odemwingie during the Instagram Live said: “During the Olympic Games in Beijing, there were some rumours among the players because I did not play the qualifiers, that some dodgy things were going on, part of which he (Siasia) is being accused of at the moment.
“I did not know the validity of it but there were talks of match-fixing. For us the players we played out our hearts and deservedly got to the final which everyone saw,”
However, a former Nigerian international that was part of the team in Beijing told THISDAY on condition of anonymity that the issue between the two men was caused by the refusal of the coach to hand the Captain’s band to the former Odemwingie.
“I don’t want to be part of their wahala but what I can remember was that there was problem between Coach (Siasia) and Osaze because he was not made the captain of the team.”
Odemwingie (now 38-years old) retired from his Nigerian football career after attending two World Cups and four Africa Cup of Nations. He was also part of the team that won silver at the 2008 Olympics in China.
