Utaka: Siasia’s a winner!

Peter Utaka on his goal-scoring Eagles debut vs DR Congo in Abuja last year

OB Odense of Denmark striker Peter Utaka has saluted the “winner mentality” of Nigeria coach Samson Siasia and told MTNFootball.com he is honoured to be named in the first squad of the coach. Utaka has been one of the most prolific Nigerian strikers in Europe in the last two seasons, but he has only a solitary Super Eagles cap to show for his goals.
However, the 26-year-old striker has received a massive boost to his international career after he was picked by Siasia in his first list of call-ups for a friendly against Guatemala next month.
Utaka first worked with Siasia in the build-up to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and he is thrilled to reunite with the coach.
“He’s very disciplined, works very hard and has a winner mentality,” the Odense striker told MTNFootball.com.
“I am therefore very honoured that he has picked me for his first squad in charge of the Eagles.
“I’m looking forward to getting to work with the other players and coaching staff.”
Utaka made a goal-scoring debut in a friendly against DR Congo in Abuja last March. Eagles won 5-2.
He will later make the provisional squad for the 2010 World Cup, but he eventually missed the cut for the final party to South Africa.