Defending Olympic champions Nigeria are furious over a seven-hour airport on their way to tomorrow's match in Adelaide against a confident Italy side already sure of a place in the
quarter-finals.
Jo Bonfrere, the Nigeria coach, was critical of the Olympic organisation after
his team was forced to wait seven hours for seats on a plane
between Sydney and the South Australian capital. Earlier, they were taken by
bus to a training session by a driver who didn’t know the way.
"I’m not happy with the arrangements. My players are very
tired, especially from travelling after the game against
Australia," the Dutchman said.
"When they arrived at Sydney airport, they were told
there were not enough seats on the plane for them. Then the
next flight was canceled. Finally at 5pm, there were
seats for us," Bonfrere said.
Nigeria already have had their share of transport problems in Sydney.
"When we arrived in Sydney, we had to take a bus to
training and the driver didn’t know the route," Bonfrere said.
"We set out at 8 o’clock and didn’t get there until 10.
Then they said we can’t play in boots and can’t use balls
on the field in the football stadium."
Bonfrere, who guided Nigeria to a historic Olympic triumph
four years ago at Atlanta, has had problems all the way
this time.
His hero of the 1996 Games, Kanu, opted to turn
his back on the squad and stay behind in England to play
for his club, Arsenal. Some team members didn’t arrive in
Australia until last Monday, and he goes into the game
against Italy with five players either injured or
suspended.
"Because one of the available players is the second
goalkeeper, I virtually have 12 players available," he
said.
Nigeria need only a point from the game against
Italy at Adelaide’s Hindmarsh Stadium to gain a place in
the last eight.
The Times
