Five Things We Learnt From Samson Siasia'e Reign As Super Eagles Coach

Last Tuesday's loss to the Pharaohs of Egypt in Alexandria has saddened a lot of Nigerians, who were hoping the Super Eagles will return to the 2017 edition of the championship.

The Samson Siasia-led Eagles team were beaten 1-0 after playing 1-1 at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna,

making it the second time on  row that they won't be participating in the tournament.

Here are few take away from Siasia's reign as Nigeria's coach:

1. Twice, Samson Siasia has managed the Super Eagles, twice the team has failed to qualify for the African Cup of Nations finals- first in 2010 and now the 2017 edition, which will be staged in Gabon.

2. It is also fast becoming a trend for Samson Siasia, who failed to defend his 1-0 lead in Kaduna by losing concentration in the late minute of the encounter which would have served as an advantage for the Eagles as they went for the second leg. Siasia in 2010 was leading 2-1, and all he needed was to keep the score line that way until he allowed an equaliser, which kicked us out of the tournament.

3. Keeping Ogenyi Onazi and Kelechi Iheanacho on the bench was his greatest undoing, - recalling the game in Kaduna, even when ighalo failed to score, Iheanacho was behind him trying some shots, which in the 60th minute got converted to a goal by Etebo.

4. Siasia as a coach should have studied the game in Kaduna well enough to know that the Egyptians did not allow Odion Ighalo function in his traditional position and as such, switch his position in the second leg, that probably would have distracted them but the Watford man was put upfront with just one chance which was balooned out of the pitch.

5. Ahmed Musa had no reason playing 90 minutes in that encounter since he shot blank all through the first 45 minutes, while Victor Moses plays better when he comes in as a substitute.

Finally, apart from Chelsea's Mikel Obi who slowed some of the counter attacking chances Nigeria had, Samson Siasia's team gave Nigerians , reminded us of the coach Stephen Keshi's team that won the African Cup of Nations in 2013.