The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Amuneke

  • FIFA U-17 World Cup: Amuneke not carried away with Eaglets form

    FIFA U-17 World Cup: Amuneke not carried away with Eaglets form

    Nigeria U-17s coach, Emmanuel Amuneke,is refusing to get carried away with his team’s good form going into the World Cup in Chile.

    The national team won their two test games at their training camp in Argentina, beating the Albicelestes Under 17s 2 – 1 before their 3 – 1 win against the U-20 side of Racing Club on Monday afternoon.

    “We are not getting carried away despite winning our two matches here but we are happy we have achieved part of our objectives of coming to Argentina but we are grateful for the opportunity to be here for our preparation,” Amuneke told thenff.com.

    “We have been struggling to adjust to the cold weather since it is colder in Chile.

    “The World Cup is a different ball game because all the 24 teams have the chance to win but we are going to Chile with the objective of defending the trophy and we are looking forward to a good tournament.”

    In 10 appearances at the Under 17 World Cup, the Golden Eaglets only failed to qualify for the quarter – finals of the competition once, in 2003.

  • Pre-World Cup training in Argentina: Amuneke picks 25 Eaglets for trials

    Pre-World Cup training in Argentina: Amuneke picks 25 Eaglets for trials

    Nigeria have named a provisional squad of 25 players for a pre-U-17 World Cup training camp in Argentina.

    The squad led by skipper Kelechi Nwakali departed Abuja on Thursday for Buenos Aires. They are due to take on the Argentina U-17 team as well as the U-20 team of either Boca Juniors or Racing. Four players will be dropped before they head off to Chile.

    They are drawn in Group A in Santiago along with hosts Chile, USA and Croatia.

     

    The squad:

    Goalkeepers: Udoh Akpan, Benjamin Amos, Chiaha Chisom, Yunusa Abdullahi,

    Defenders: John Lazarus, Halilu Lukman, Tochukwu Okoli, Ibe Tobechukwu, Ejike Ikwu, Samuel Opeh, Michael Edidiong Ndochukwu Anumudu

    Midfielders: Kelechi Nwakali, Kingsley Michael, Taiwo Alimi, Joel Osikel, Agor Chukwudi, Chinedu Madueke

    Strikers: Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, Ebere Osinachi, Orji Okonkwo, Gavi Thompson, Funsho Bamgboye, David Enogela

  • AMUNEKE NOT UNDER PRESSURE TO WIN

    Golden Eaglets coach Emmanuel Amuneke is unfazed by the defending champions tag ahead of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup next month and has stressed that he is not under pressure to deliver.

    Looking back at a glorious career, the creator represented Barcelona, Sporting Lisbon and played for Nigeria at the World Cup and African Cup of Nations, so he is used to performing at a high level.

    “I’m not under any pressure but I have the sense of direction that we are the defending champions at this level,” Amuneke told thenff.com.

    “I don’t want us to dwell so much on that. We keep working quietly and hard; when the time comes, we shall be ready. We must psyche ourselves that we can do it, but I’m not under any pressure. I think I’ve always been used to pressure, previously as a player and now as a coach. I believe in hard work and I don’t think hard work disappoints anyone.”

    As part of their preparations for the tournament which they have won four times, the Golden Eaglets finished third at the Suwon Tournament in Korea.

  • Fifa Under-17 World Cup: Amuneke not under pressure

    Fifa Under-17 World Cup: Amuneke not under pressure

    Golden Eaglets coach Emmanuel Amuneke is unfazed by the defending champions tag ahead of the Fifa Under 17 World Cup next month and has stressed that he is not under pressure to deliver.

    Looking back at a glorious career, the ex-Nigerian internationalrepresented Barcelona, Sporting Lisbon and played for Nigeria at the World Cup and African Cup of Nations, so he is used to performing at a high level.

    “I’m not under any pressure but I have the sense of direction that we are the defending champions at this level,” Amuneke told thenff.com.

    “I don’t want us to dwell so much on that. We keep working quietly and hard; when the time comes, we shall be ready.”

    He added : “We must psyche ourselves that we can do it, but I’m not under any pressure. I think I’ve always been used to pressure, previously as a player and now as a coach.

    “I believe in hard work and I don’t think hard work disappoints anyone.”

    As part of their preparations for the tournament which they have won four times, the Golden Eaglets finished third at the Suwon Tournament in Korea.

  • Amuneke confident in Eaglets’ chances in Chile

    Amuneke confident in Eaglets’ chances in Chile

    •Says NFF will aid team’s flawless preparations for World Cup

    Golden Eaglets head coach, Emmanuel Amuneke has expressed his determination that he is convinced that the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) will make a near flawless arrangement for the cadet team ahead of the FIFA U17 World Cup slated for Chile in October this year.

    Nigeria are the defending champions after they defeated the then reigning champions, Mexico 3-0 in the final in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates in 2013 FIFA U17 World Cup and they are under pressure to replicate same feat in Chile.

    The coach of the team, Amuneke in a chat with SportingLife said that they have started serious training in Katsina their near abode after sometime in Sokoto and that after practise sessions for some time they would be engaging in some friendly matches.

    He said they would start with games with teams within and around Katsina before they will take it to the next level and eventually travel out on training tour.

    Amuneke told SportingLife: “We are now in Katsina and we have started training very hard in anticipation of the World Cup in Chile. We have started our own and we are hoping that the NFF will do their own part too. We are confident that we are going to get good friendly matches to aid our preparations.

    “I am also convinced that the choice of Argentina for close camping exercises will be for our own good.”

    Amuneke has expressed delight with the choice of Argentina for the training tour adding that the country has similar weather condition as Chile who are billed to host the world.

    The Eaglets are in Group A alongside hosts, Chile, Croatia and USA and they will open their competition account with USA on October 17 at Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos, Santiago before games with Chile and Croatia on October 20 and 23 respectively at  Estadio Sausalito, Viña del Mar and Estadio Municipal Francisco Sánchez Rumoroso, Coquimbo in that order.

    The competition in Chile starts from October 17 and ends on November 8.

  • Amuneke expects difficult game against hosts Chile

    Amuneke expects difficult game against hosts Chile

    • Impressed with new Eaglets

    Nigeria has been drawn against host nation Chile in Group A of the 2015 FIFA U17 World Cup as the Eaglets attempt to win back to back titles-and become the second only country to do so at this level- but Chief Coach Emmanuel Amuneke suggests the fixture may not be as important as the first game against the USA.

    The Eaglets play Chile in the second group game 3 days after the tournament kicks off and while they will surely enjoy the greater support Amuneke says he expects to play some of the toughest games should Nigeria hope to achieve success.

    ” They (Chile) are very good but every team’s objective is to do well and even win the tournament. Chile are the host, they’ll have all the support of the home crowd behind them, but the most important for us now is to concentrate for the US game, in every World Cup the first game is very important. ”

    The Golden Eaglets Coach told www.footballlive.ng that in the main his concerns bother on not just winning but also the ability of the team to react positively to changes on the pitch , represent his tactics aright and work hard.

    ” You have to ensure you don’t lose because a win gives you confidence. But while am not overly concerned about the win I want to see my players display real discipline on the field.

    ”We’ve made it to the world cup and now we must work hard to make sure we achieve our set goals.”

    However, Amuneke says there’s need for synergy in every department of the team as the October kick off date for the World Cup draws near.

    Since the disappointment of the U17 Championship in Niger, several more players have come through to add some spine to the team and says the new legs have shown ‘some promise’.

    The team has been in camp near 6 months, Amuneke reckons his side has shown impressive quality up front but says his new task is to build a compact unit of players who will represent his game strategy in all situations on the pitch.

    ” We’re happy that most of the new boys are willing to play and have shown some promise. We’ve been scoring goals which is good for the team, but in football there are several departments in the team and my concern is how to bring cohesion,” Amuneke told www.footballlive.ng.

    ” People talk about the system of the game but that is merely about position,my concern is what to do on and off the ball, understanding why, where, who and all else that matters on the pitch.”

    Nigeria kicks off its title defense in Santiago against the USA on October 17.

  • Amuneke: Soaring Eaglets good test for Golden Eaglets

    Amuneke: Soaring Eaglets good test for Golden Eaglets

    Ahead of their two match friendly against Nigerian youngsters in Diaspora on Thursday, Golden Eaglets’ Head Coach, Emmanuel Amuneke, believes the test against the self-styled Soaring Eaglets is a good match practice.

    The Soaring Eaglets is made up of youngsters from Europe, USA, Canada and Amuneke admits it would be a good test. Golden Eaglets had a feel of the Abuja National Stadium pitch on Tuesday and Amuneke warned his wards not to be carried away with the occasion.

    “This is the first time we would be playing on this pitch but we want you to remain focused and show that you are  good to play in this team,” said the former African Footballer of the Year. “It is good we are meeting the Soaring Eaglets at this time and this is a big test for you guys.”

    The Golden Eaglets in the meantime, come into the match against Soaring Eaglets with an impressive record in international friendly without losing any of their last eight matches in regulation time.

    “We are going to play two matches against the Soaring Eaglets and the match is not bigger than some of the ones we had played in the past.  .We have to take it these two matches seriously”, Amuneke said.

  • Amuneke slams NFF over unpaid wages

    Amuneke slams NFF over unpaid wages

    Nigeria U-17 coach and former Nigeria international Emmanuel Amuneke has slammed the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over non-payment of salaries due to him, after the NFF announced it had paid three months upfront, the salary of new Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh.

    Amuneke, who is believed to be on a N1m monthly salary, claims he hasn’t been paid for several months, while questioning why the NFF have chosen to pay Oliseh, who earns N5m monthly, three months ahead without paying other national team coaches.

    “The people that paid Oliseh decided to pay Oliseh,” Amuneke said in reference to Oliseh receiving three months’ salary upfront.

    “But one thing they have to know is that there are other national team coaches working also that have not been paid.

    “So if they owe other coaches and they pay Oliseh, I think it is not fair,” Amuneke said in a radio interview.

    Speaking further, the former Barcelona winger said nobody should expect anything from him as he prepares the Nigeria U17 team for the FIFA U17 World Cup, since he is yet to be paid his salaries.

    “Well nobody should expect anything from me since they haven’t paid me,” he added.

    Amuneke was teammate with Oliseh for Nigeria in the ‘90’s.

  • Amuneke drags Eaglets to classroom

    Amuneke drags Eaglets to classroom

    Golden Eaglets’ Head Coach, Emmanuel Amuneke at the weekend dragged his wards to the classroom as part of their training regimen towards solid preparation for the 2015 U-17 World Cup in Chile.

    After weeks of physical conditioning and training, Amuneke said it was imperative that the players were shown animated tactical details in order to broaden their horizon.

    Amuneke, one of few Nigerians  who hold the high-profile UEFA Pro License certificate alongside the likes of Sunday Oliseh and Mutiu Adepoju, showed the players different tactical formations on a projector with intermittent question and answer sessions with the players.

    “These boys are lucky because nobody taught us anything like this in our playing days in the national youth teams,” noted Golden Eaglets’ assistant coach, Kabiru Baleria who played for the Flying Eagles set of 1989.

    “We only made use of our brains most of the time in terms of organisation on the field. Showing and explaining to the players some of the things we had earlier told them on the field are essential to their progress,” he noted.

    Captain Kelechi Nwakali explained that the video clips helped in resolving some of their tactical naivety.

    “We have learned so much again today with the video clips especially in our marking and defending mentality. It was an interesting time because we can see clearly some of our mistakes and the coaches have helped in correcting them,” said Nwakali.

  • Eaglets’ Coach Amuneke screams: We don’t have a World Cup team

    Eaglets’ Coach Amuneke screams: We don’t have a World Cup team

    •As Rapture Academy boss clamours for friendlies

    The Chief Coach of the Golden Eaglets, Emmanuel Amunike, has confessed that he has no team yet for the forthcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup slated for Chile from October 17 to November 8, 2015.

    The ever blunt former Super Eagles attacker did not hide his feelings when he revealed that, “I don’t have a team for now. I am just being honest with you. Let us not try to create or hype things that are not real. You guys (Abuja-based sports journalists) came here today and you are expecting a miracle. We have been here for the past two weeks now and I don’t even think any of you have picked interest to come and see what we are doing.

    “So, let us be realistic as regards what we are doing. You guys know me. I don’t need to tell you who I am. I believe in my principles. I believe in what I am doing regardless of what anybody thinks of me. But I believe that everything in life has its procedure and that is the procedure we are following now.

    “Are we the best people on earth? No. But can we work hard to improve ourselves? Yes, of course. So, we are not here to convince anybody, we are not here to convince any tribe or individual. We are here to serve Nigerians with the best of our abilities. That is what we offer to Nigeria with all fairness.

    “I will also tell you that there is no pressure from any quarter as regards this job. Let me be honest with you. I have played this game to the highest level. As a coach I have been privileged also to coach to the highest level. So, everything  you do in life there will always be a process to it and that is the process I am following.

    “Am I going to do a miracle? Am I going to do this? I’m not telling you I am going to do this. But I am doing the best I can.

    “What we are doing here (with the team in Abuja) is that we remain focused, we remain loyal and honest with what we are doing. For the past two weeks we have seen some Nigerian youths that are enthusiastic and want to play football. What we have to do now is to guide them and see if we can get the best from them. That is all we are doing here”, the former African Footballer of the Year disclosed.

    Meanwhile the Chairman of the Rapture Academy International of Uyo, who lost 2-3 to the Golden Eaglets at the Goal Project Center, Abuja National Stadium on Saturday, Sammy Etuk, has urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to arrange more local and international friendly matches for the Eaglets in order to knock the team to shape for October’s FIFA U-17 World Cup.

    According to the veteran journalist, who is based in the United States of America, time is not on the side of the team and the only way to get the boys going is through quality friendly matches.

    “If you ask me I would say we have barely four months to the kick-off of the U-17 World Cup, which I believe is not a long time to prepare. So the Nigeria Football Federation needs to help this team by getting quality friendly matches for them to play to put the players in a competitive mood”, he advised.