FIFA U-17 World Cup winning coaches Manu Garba and Emmanuel Amuneke has endorsed the appointment of coach Nduka Ugbade as the new substantive coach of the national U-17 team even as both agreed that the 1985 Kodak U-16 World Cup-winning captain with the Golden Eaglets has the prerequisites to lead Nigeria all the way again.
Nigeria is record five-time winner of the global cadet World Cup with Garba and Amuneke successively leading the Golden Eaglets to their fourth and fifth titles at the 2013 and 2015 editions respectively in the United Arab Emirates and Chile.
Incidentally, Ugbade worked with both coaches in 2013 as a second assistant to Garba while Amuneke was first assistant in that historic team.
“ I have spoken and congratulated coach Ugbade on his appointment as the next Golden Eaglets coach,” Garba told NationSport.
“ Of course, I have advised him on important issues especially never to compromise standard and go to the right and best players that will make us qualify for the AFCON U17 and win trophies; there are no minnows in African football and therefore, he must try and present a formidable team that can withstand pressure.”
Amuneke, the 1994 African Footballer of the Year, remarked: “ I’m so happy for Ugbade because he truly deserved this appointment and having worked in the team’s set up since 2013, he knows what it takes to discover and develop talents as well as knowing the challenges that faces that category of the national team.
“ Sure, we are going to support him in any possible way so that he can succeed so that he can also build a formidable team that can compete up to the World Cup level.
“ Of course, there is no doubt about his ability and the experience he’s bring to the job and we can only wish him all the best on this assignment,” added the former Barcelona winger.
Meanwhile, Garba who also assisted late coach Yemi Tella when Nigeria won her third U-17 title at Korea 2007, said Ugbade must avoid some of the pitfalls inherent at this level, adding Ugbade must be strict on purpose.
“ Close friends, stakeholders and the rest will send players to him and if there are chances to assess the players, he can give them trials and if they are better than the players in camp, he can drop and substitute depending on performance and age,” Garba, who also led the national U-20 to win the U-20 AFCON in 2015, further told NationSport.”He should try and convince the NFF to conduct MRI test in good time and if possible, play grade A international friendly matches to fortify his team.”