Former Super Eagles captain, Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha has opened up on the struggles Nigeria’s U-23 team endured before making history at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
According to Okocha, the ‘Dream team’ faced major challenges in camp due to neglect from the NFF.
He revealed that during their training camp in the United States, the team’s bus was taken away and their coach walked out after unpaid bills.
Hotel staff also repeatedly warned the players that their accommodation had not been settled, while meals became monotonous as the same food was served daily.
“For about a week, we were given the same rice and sauce for lunch and dinner,” Okocha said.
“When we complained, the hotel told us we should be grateful we were even still there because our FA had not paid for the accommodation.”
The former midfielder added that some senior players had to intervene to keep the camp running.
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“Three of us had to use our own money to pay for accommodation and hire minivans to move around. But it showed the desire we had,” he noted.
Despite the turmoil, Nigeria overcame Brazil and Argentina on their way to glory, becoming the first African football team to win Olympic gold.
