Samson Siasia has opened up on why he was temporarily dropped from the Super Eagles team during his playing days with the national team.

Siasia featured for Nigeria in an international career spanning from 1987 to 1999.

He was a key member of the Super Eagles team that won the 1994 African Cup of Nations in Algeria.

Reflecting on the golden generation of the Super Eagles in the 1990s, the controversial former international and head coach revealed that he was left out of the team at one point because he refused to pass the ball to Rashidi Yekini.

In an interview with Emmanuel Babayaro on UTVAfrica, Siasia explained that the all-time Super Eagles top scorer had failed to capitalize on the chances he created for him.

“I am a striker. Rashidi Yekini wouldn’t have given me that ball if it were him, that’s the truth,” he said.

“Sometimes you miss, sometimes you score. Rashidi has been one of the greatest strikers I have ever played with. May his soul rest in peace.

“My downtimes? The first was when I didn’t pass the ball to Rashidi Yekini, and they had to kick me out of the team. I had to hustle my way back in. Trying times are always there to make you stronger.

“A lot of people talked about why I didn’t pass the ball to Rashidi Yekini. The ones I passed to him, he couldn’t even score either. So things happen, we don’t take it personally.”

WDN