The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Golden Eaglets

  • Amuneke leads new Golden Eaglets

    Top officials have revealed that Golden Eaglets coach Manu Garba will be elevated to lead the country’s U20 team, the Flying Eagles.

    Second assistant coach Nduka Ugbade will also join Manu on the bench of the Flying Eagles. The new Flying Eagles are due to set up training camp by March at the latest, officials disclosed.

    Coach Emmanuel Amuneke will then be elevated to head coach of the U17 with two new assistants named, while Emeka Amadi remains as goalkeeper trainer.

    “We want to ensure that this present U17 team grow with their coach. So, as we are elevating the players, we are also elevating the coaches,” a top official of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) informed MTNFootball.com.

    “However, we have ensured continuity by keeping Emmanuel Amuneke, so we can sustain the style, character of the Golden Eaglets.”

    “However, there are some who believe that Ugbade will make a better head coach of the new Eaglets than Amuneke because he is much more open and he is ready to listen and learn.”

  • Lessons from Golden Eaglets’ victory

    SIR: The victory of the national U17 side, the Golden Eaglets, at the UAE tournament, is quite instructive in many ways. For one, the Golden Eaglets won the tournament for a record fourth time. Second, the Eaglets created a new tournament record of scoring a total of 26 goals in the competition. Third, the team’s goal -tender, Dele Alapamsu, emerged as the tournament’s best goal keeper while the team’s play-maker, Kelechi Ihenacho, was chosen as the Most Valuable Player of the competition in addition to his winning the bronze boot as the second highest scorer of the tournament.

    The Golden Eaglets equally won the tournament’s Fair Play award. Indeed, the UAE soccer event  was a glorious moment in the annals of the country’s sporting attainments.

    There are so many lessons for us as a nation to draw from the victory of the Golden Eaglets at the UAE. For one, the victory further underscores the abundant of sporting talents in the country. Since  Nigeria won the first FIFA U17 World Cup which took place in China in 1985, we have gone ahead to win it on three other occasions – 1993, 2007 and 2013. This is aside emerging runners up twice at the tournament. Through the tournament, players such as Nduka Ubgade, Kanu Nwankwo, Victor Ikpeba, Wilson Oruma, Emmanual Babayaro, John Mikel Obi, Celestine Babayaro, Godwin Opkara, to mention but a few, have emerged at the centre stage of the soccer world.

    This, of course, takes us to the all important issue: We have just unleashed 22 sporting teenagers on the soccer world. But, what happens to the millions of other undiscovered sporting talents languishing in different parts of the country?

    The Eaglets success story at Abu Dhabi equally has vital implications for the Nigerian youth, and indeed the nation at large. It is important for the youth to imbibe the spirit of self-belief by rising above every limiting environmental factor to achieve set-goals. The inherent difficulties of living in Nigeria or being a Nigerian should not provide stereo-typed excuses for failure. All our youths need to do get to the promise land is to keep believing and keep focusing.

    Today, individuals such as Segun Odegbami, Chidi Imoh, Mary Onyali, Chioma Ajunwa, Jerry Okorodudu, Stephen Keshi, to mention just a few, command great respect across and beyond the country for their selfless services to their fatherland.

    However, it is imperative to dwell on the need for sports administrators across the country to turn a new leaf. It is rather sad that as much as our compatriots in the sporting fields would want to give their all in the service of their fatherland, they are often frustrated by the selfish and unpatriotic attitudes of our so-called sports administrators. Take for instance the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF, which over the years have appeared to act in manners that impede the development of soccer in the country. Is it not particularly embarrassing  that the NFF is reportedly owing Stephen Keshi, the Super Eagles chief coach seven months’ salary?

    It took the coach’s lamentation on the pages of newspapers before the NFF reportedly agreed to pay him two months’ wages out of the outstanding seven being owed.  To think that this is the same coach that has returned the Super Eagles to winning ways!

    The NFF needs to come up with creative marketing strategies that would enable it  catch-up on the recent successes of the various national teams for financial gains. This is the way it is done all over the world. Going cup in hands, all the time, to beg state governors for fund each time our national teams are on assignment is, to say the least, unprofessional and demeaning.

    • Tayo Ogunbiyi

    Ministry of Information and Strategy,

    Alausa, Ikeja.

  • How Eaglets triumphed in Dubai

    How Eaglets triumphed in Dubai

    Standing some metres away from the goal, heart pounding, crowd cheering, just about to take a free-kick doesn’t seem an easy task. But for the inspirational captain of Nigeria, such task was easy.

    Capping the 25 goal thriller of the spectacular Nigeria’s U17 side, Musa Muhammed slotted home a free kick in the 81st minute.

    Only the likes of Jay Jay Okocha, Ronaldinho, Messi and maybe Cristiano Ronaldo depict such task as easy. It was just a perfect end to a blistering and eye captivating for the Nigeria side. The goal sent the crowd aghast. Truly Nigerians must be thanking their stars for being lucky on the Asian soil.

    That soil truly has been a hunting ground for the four successive teams of the U17 cadre of Nigeria.  These set of boys set a new record as the most successful country in history for the U17 championship. Before now, only Nigeria and Brazil had won the competition three a piece. However, after the 3-0 win of the boys today (Friday), Nigeria had to its credit four.

    Group Stage

    The Manu Garba led Golden Eaglets started off the campaign in United Arab Emirates on a good note. They thrashed their opponent, Mexico, 6-1 in the group stages. Goals from: The huge victory didn’t come without a price. It was an injury to the No 9 goal poacher, Isaac Success.

    The second game seemed daunting. The Swedes matched them up.  In a six goal thriller, the 2013 champions settled for a draw.

    The final game in the group was against the Iraqis. Convincible, high scoring and a fantastic game it was. The match produced five goals all from the boots of the Nigerian team.

    With two wins and a draw, Nigeria emerged top position from the group stage amassing seven points. They scored fourteen goals and got scored four times. Three from the Swedes and one from the Mexicans who they will later meet at the Semi final and final stages respectively.

    Round of 16

    Qualifying for the round of 16, the eaglets showed class by sending their opponents to the cleaners with a 4-1 win over the Iranians. Goals from: Samuel Okon, Kelechi Iheanacho, Musa Muhammed, Musa Yahaya,and a consolation from Ali Gholizadeh.

    Quarter final

    Just as the end of a battle signifies the start of another, the eaglets basking in high confidence, progressed to the quarter finals. Their next opponent was Uruguay. The previous finalist two years ago.  But confidently, sent the Uruguayans packing with a comfortable 2-0 win over them.

    Semi final

    The victory ensured their passage into the semi final of the competition. It is said that this stage of the competition can be very tasking as teams will jostle for a win. It was sort of a rematch. Their opponents were the Swedes. The boys from Sweden gave the Nigerian team tough times during the group stage. This time around, the two teams went for the broke.

    In the end, the victorious eaglets zoom into the final with a 3-0 convincing result. Goals from:

    Final

    After scaling through the hurdles, a dream final was set to take place between two teams which previously met at the earlier stages of the competition. While revenge was on the minds of the Mexicans, the Nigerians were hoping for a victory. Goals from Kelechi, Musa and an own goal from the Mexican was all that separated both teams.

    Athletic, Dogged, Endearing and high scoring are the few words to describe the Quardeaglets of 2013.

    With this win, Nigeria have achieved yet another feat and done the country proud.  Nigeria has won the cup four times  – (1985, 1993, 2007,2013) and losing three (1987, 2001, 2009).

     

  • No houses for triumphant Eaglets

    No houses for triumphant Eaglets

    Members of world-conquering Golden Eaglets will get cash and national honours, but no houses after they made history in United Arab Emirates on Friday.

    The country’s U-17 team clinched a record fourth World Cup on Friday to become the most successful team in the world at this level.

    The Eaglets also set a new goals record for a single tournament, while Kelechi Iheanacho and Dele Alampasu were picked as the Most Valuable Player and best goalkeeper of the tournament, respectively.

    A top government source told MTNFootball.com: “They will get cash and national honours, but no houses.

    “A precedence was set when the Eagles also did not get houses when they won the AFCON earlier this year. Instead, they were given plots of land on the outskirts of Abuja.”

    Players and officials received cash, national honours and houses in an estate in Abuja when they won the same competition six years ago.

    President Goodluck Jonathan will host the team on Sunday night in Abuja.

    The Eaglets arrived the country on Saturday.

     

     

  • This World Cup is for Jonathan – Eaglets coach

    This World Cup is for Jonathan – Eaglets coach

    Coach Manu Garba has dedicated Nigeria’s fourth FIFA U-17 World Cup victory to President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife.

    Away from the battery of cameras and in the hallowed corridors of Al Jazira’s dressing room in Abu Dhabi, Manu said both President Jonathan and his wife more than anybody deserved praise for the feat he achieved with his team.

    He recalled it was only President Jonathan that hosted the boys upon their return from the African U-17 Championship, where they came second.

    “This trophy is for President Goodluck Jonathan, who had a strong belief in us despite the fact that we came second at the African championship,” MTNFootball.com quoted the Eaglets coach as saying after the team’s victory on Friday.

    “We were really fired up when he hosted us after the African Championship and we are looking forward to meeting Mr. President again with the World Cup.”

    Manu described President Jonathan as a very lucky man after the Golden Eaglets followed the footsteps of the Super Eagles for winning a major trophy in 2013.

    The senior national team started the year with glorious outing at the African Nations Cup in South Africa and the Golden Eaglets World Cup win is more than an icing on the cake as 2013 drags to an end.

    He revealed that his wife was the first person he called immediately after the final whistle of the match that saw his young guns dethrone Mexico as champions and entered the pantheon of world football as the first to win a record fourth world title.

    “In fact, for the past four months I was not able to see my wife because of the nature of this job and I’m so happy that all the efforts we put into this work was not in vain,” he said.

    “I want to use this opportunity to thank my wife for taking care of the home front.”

    Manu also heaped praise on both Senator Liyel Imoke, Governor of Cross River State and Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, His Excellency Ibrahim Auwalu who rode on the team’s bus in company of Nigeria Football Federation’s President Aminu Maigari for a dinner reception hosted by the Nigeria Embassy in the UAE.

     

  • Jonathan hails world-conquering Eaglets

    Jonathan hails world-conquering Eaglets

    … Hosts team Sunday

    President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday congratulated the victorious Golden Eaglets who won the FIFA U-17 World cup in the United Arab Emirates.

    Eaglets defeated their Mexican counterparts 3-0 in the final match played at the Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

    A statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Dr. Reuben Abati, reads: “On behalf of himself, the Federal Government and all Nigerians, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan congratulates the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria on their 3-0 triumph over Mexico in the final match of the 2013 FIFA Under-17 World Soccer Championship played Friday evening in Abu Dhabi.”

    “He joined other happy Nigerians in saluting the glorious achievement of the Eaglets in winning the Under-17 Soccer Championship for an unprecedented fourth time.

    “President Jonathan commended the young Eaglets for the exemplary commitment, dedication, resilience, determination, patriotism and unity of purpose they displayed throughout the tournament to make Nigeria the World’s Under-17 Football Champion once again.

    “In fulfillment of his promise of a heroes’ welcome for the triumphant Golden Eaglets on their return home, President Jonathan will host a grand reception for the team at the Banquet Hall of the State House at 1900 Hours on Sunday, November 10, 2013 in appreciation of the great honour and glory they have brought to their fatherland.

    “The President also urged the leadership of the Nigerian Football Federation to strive to ensure that the world-conquering Eaglets, who have shown such immense potentials as youngsters, are properly nurtured, trained and developed to represent the nation at higher levels in future international football competitions.

    “He wishes the Golden Eaglets and their handlers a safe journey home and looks forward to receiving them in Abuja on Sunday.”

     

  • U-17 World Cup Final: Mark leads delegation to cheer Eaglets

    U-17 World Cup Final: Mark leads delegation to cheer Eaglets

    To cheer Eaglets to victory in the FIFA Under-17 World Cup final against Mexico tomorrow at the United Arab Emirates, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday constituted a delegation headed by the Senate President, Senator David Mark to represent the Federal Government.

    Other members of the delegation, according to a statement by Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, include the Minister of Special Duties, Alhaji  Tanimu Turaki, the Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu, the Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe and the Minister of State, FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide.

    The President charged the delegation to ensure that the Golden Eaglets receive all necessary support and motivation for victory.

    To this end, he told the delegation to reassure the Golden Eaglets and their handlers of his personal confidence and expectation that they will maintain their excellent track-record in this year’s Championship and crown their winning performances with another victory against the Mexicans tomorrow (today).

    He also conveyed to the Eaglets, through the delegation, the best wishes of all Nigerians for their victory and promised the team that together with all other patriotic Nigerians, within and outside the country, he will be cheering them on to victory during the match.

    He said he is looking forward to receiving them at the Presidential Villa and showing them the full appreciation of the nation when they return in triumph to Nigeria.

  • U17 World Cup: Mexico will be tougher – Manu

    U17 World Cup: Mexico will be tougher – Manu

    The U17 World Cup final between three-time champions Nigeria and Mexico on Friday will be a game of wits, warned coach Manu Garba.

    In Tuesday’s semi-final goals by Taiwo Awoniyi, Samuel Okon and Chidera Ezeh were enough to break the resolve of a resilient Swedish side that earlier played a 3-3 draw with Nigeria in their Group F match.

    It will be another rematch in the final as Nigeria trounced defending champions Mexico 6-1 in their opening game of the competition.

    But Eaglets coach Manu said it will be a different and tougher clash on Friday.

    “I still maintained that the Mexican team is a very technical team and we can see their resilience by coming from a 6-1 loss to us (Nigeria) and still be in the final,” Manu said at the post-match
    media conference.

    Manu said the Golden Eaglets are now turbo-charged after a commanding performance throughout the tournament where they have won all their previous matches bar the 3-3 draw with Sweden.

    “We showed today (Tuesday) that we are a very strong side,” maintained Manu.

    “We are not going to be on any pressure against Mexico in the final because we would prepare mentally, physically and psychologically for the final,” he noted.

  • Eaglets hit U-17 World Cup final

    Eaglets hit U-17 World Cup final

    … Defeat Sweden 3-0

    Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets on Tuesday qualified for the final of the FIFA U-17 World Cup taking place in United Arab Emirates.

    The Manu-Garba tutored youngsters defeated their Swedish counterparts 3-0 in the second semi final played at Rashid Stadium in Dubai.

    Idowu Awoniyi was the hero once again, scoring in the 21st minute to shot the three-time world champions ahead.

    The Nigerians dominated possession as usual, but could not translate their superior ball artistry into much needed goals.

    However, two goals in quick succession in the second half through Samuel Okon (80th minute) and Chidera Ezeh (81st minute) ended the match as a contest.

    Nigeria will meet Mexico who had earlier defeated Argentina 3-0 in Friday’s tournament decider.

     

     

  • Hayatou to Eaglets: Win U-17 World Cup

    Hayatou to Eaglets: Win U-17 World Cup

    The President, Confederation of African Football (CAF), Issa Hayatou, has charged the Golden Eaglets to set a tournament record by winning a fourth FIFA U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

    Hayatou gave the charge during a visit to the camp of the Golden Eaglets in the UAE.

    A statement issued by the Nigeria Football Federation, said that Hayatou visited the team in company of CAF’s first Vice-President, Almamy Camara, and Mohamed Raouraoua, a FIFA Executive Committee member.

    “You have displayed a high level of skills and intelligence in this tournament that we have not seen in an African team for a long time.

    “I am not surprised at your progress because I saw you at the African U-17 Championship in Morocco and I was highly impressed.

    “I am particularly excited with your performance against Uruguay, in spite of missing a number of injured players.

    “I believe you are already in the final. The African football family is fully behind you,” Hayatou was quoted in the statement as saying.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the CAF boss urged the Eaglets to forget the country’s triumphs in the past and focus on writing their own names in gold.

    He said: “Nigeria has won the competition three times before, but that was done by other players.

    “Now, it is your opportunity to write your own names in gold. I believe you have the talent, intelligence and resilience to go all the way.”

    The President of the NFF, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, assured that the Eaglets would be fully motivated to go all out against the Swedes in Tuesday’s semi-final tie at the Rashid Stadium, Dubai.

    Eaglets Coach, Manu Garba, called his boys “great warriors of Africa”, noting that Hayatou’s visit was a massive motivation.

    Garba assured that the Eaglets cannot fail Africa at this stage.

    “We will take our remaining challenges in the tournament one at a time, starting with the semi-final game against Sweden on Tuesday evening.”