Odion Ighalo's Goal Scoring Ability Is Key To Our Success In Brazil- Samson Siasia

Nigeria U23 coach, Samson Siasia, has disclosed that he needs Super Eagles forward, Odion Ighalo in his team when he hits Brazil this summer for this year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Siasia said Ighalo's goal scoring ability has made him an important key member of his team, provided he remains fit when the games will be flagged off in August.

Ighalo, who featured for the country at the 2009 FIFA U20 World Cup and made his debut for the senior national team in 2015, is yet to state his intentions to represent the country at the Olympics in Rio.

“We need him to score goals for us. Odion is the only Super Eagles player playing and scoring goals in the Premiership," Siasia told media in Abuja.

"Everybody is looking at him and he is a good boy, gentle and disciplined. I can tell you that if he is in good shape when we want to go to the tournament, he will of course be one of the players we want to pick. We need somebody like him to score for us.”

The Dream Team VI trainer further noted that he is undecided over who to pick for the remaining overage players slot citing state of form but has handed Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi a lifeline.

“I have some players I am thinking about but the truth is that since the tournament is still six months away, we have to be cautious because the form of the players would be a factor.

"We cannot pick players who are in form now only for them to lose form in August.

“As for Mikel, if he shows serious interest in being at the games, then I will go into frank talks with him,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, the 26-year old Watford's goal poacher, has also insisted that all he wants to continue to do is help his team in England win more games, and also translate the form to the national team.

"I won’t shift focus and I don’t want to get tired of what I am doing. I will keep on working hard for both the Eagles and my club hoping that next year would be more profitable and exciting than 2015," Ighalo told Goal.