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Nigeria: Dream Team Escapes Seedorf, Babel Threat
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This Day (Lagos)
7 May 2008
Posted to the web 7 May 2008
Tunde Sulaiman
Lagos
Samson Siasia and his Dream Team can rest a bit easy ahead of this summer's Olympics following the surprise exclusion of some of Holland's top stars from their team heading to China in August.
AC Milan's Clarence Seedorf and Liverpool's flying Dutch winger Ryan Babel are the two big names missing from the provincial list of 35 released yesterday by the Dutch FA (KNVB) for the U-23 side. Both players had insisted all along that they would love to be part of the 'Junior Orange Team', which is in the same group as Nigeria at the Olympics.
But apparently with an eye on next month's European Championships, the Dutch U-23 handler Foobe de Han decided to leave them out so that they can help the senior team triumph at the event jointly being hosted by Switzerland and Austria.
However, despite this considering, De Han, who incidentally was in charge of the Dutch side which lost on penalties to Nigeria at the quarter-finals of Holland 2005, still has a potential match winner in Roy Makaay.
Makaay who has been pencilled down as one of the overaged players, was once one of the most feared strikers in Europe and had a glittering career with newly crowned Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich before leaving at the end of last season.
Although at 32 Seedorf would have travelled as one of the overaged players, Babel is still within the age bracket after only recently turning 22.
Only a few days ago Babel's Liverpool team mate Javier Mascherano caused some consternation at Anfield when he said he would be playing for Argentina at the Olympics.
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Other big names, who have expressed their desire to make the long trip to the Far East this summer include Chelsea's Didier Drogba, who is skipper of the Elephants and current World Footballer of the Year Kaka. The AC Milan star wants to help Brazil end its Olympic hoodo.
Siasia has pencilled down Watford defender Danny Shittu, Joseph Yobo, Osaze Odenwingie and goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama.
Nigeria secured one of her biggest triumphs in world football when Dream Team I won the gold medal at the Atlanta'96 Games at the expense of Argentina and Brazil.
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