Nigeria: Argentina Without Messi Still Dangerous – Oliha

Leadership (Abuja)

Ikpo Igbinoba

19 May 2011

Lagos — Ex-international, Thompson Oliha, has made it clear that the Argentina national team billed to face Super Eagles in a friendly on June 1, would fire from all cylinders even without fielding their celebrated key players.

The Argentinean Football Association released the list for the June 1 friendly with the World Footballer of the Year, Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez conspicuously missing.

Oliha in his reaction to the South Americans’ list told LEADERSHIP SPORTS in a telephone interview, “With or without Messi or Tevez, the Argentineans team would always be a handful especially to an African team.”

The former Super Eagles midfielder, said it would be tragic if anybody expects the Super Eagles to have it easy over the visiting Argentineans because their key players won’t be featuring in the game.

According to him, “The Argentineans have taken their game to that level where they can raise six national teams capable of taking on the very best anywhere in the world. The country is a super power when it comes to the game”.

Oliha said he was however, pleased with the reaction of coach Samson Siasia to the list from Argentina. “I am really pleased with Siasia for not joining the bandwagon of those who believe that the absence of Messi would affect the quality of the Argentineans”.

“I expect Siasia to see this friendly which is enjoying so much hype as his biggest career test since he took over the national team. The Argentineans are coming to put him on trial and if he is not good enough for the job they will expose him”.

Oliha, who played alongside Siasia in the 90’s said he had strong faith in his former playmate to take the national team to the next level. “As a player, Siasia was outstanding, and so far as a coach, he has also lived up to expectation. But the true test will come on June 1 against Argentina”

When asked to forecast the outcome of the impending friendly, Oliha declined but stressed “The game will be very explosive because the visitors do not tolerate losing to African teams and then Siasia and his charges would be under pressure to win.”

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