The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Golden Eaglets

  • Balogun advises Eaglets to be cautious against Niger

    A sport analyst, Tayo Balogun, on Tuesday advised the Golden Eaglets to play cautiously in their match against Niger Republic in the ongoing U-17 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

    Balogun, who gave the advice in a telephone interview with News Agency of Nigeria in Ibadan, said that the semi-final match was crucial and sensitive.

    The Golden Eaglets will lock horns with their Niger counterparts on Sept. 12 by 7p.m. Nigerian time.

    ‘‘They should play their game with caution and adequate respect for the opponents; they should open up their opponents by using the wings,” Balogun said.

    The sport analyst urged the Eaglets’ handlers to present the same team that defeated Cote d’Ivoire in the match.

    Read Also: Garba assures of Golden Eaglets’ victory over Cote d’ Voire

    ‘‘We scored seven goals in two matches while conceding four; this shows a team whose strength is in the attack.

    ‘‘We should go with the same players that featured against Cote d’Ivoire.

    ‘‘Niger played draws against Ghana and Togo, and this shows they would buckle against a high pressing side like the Eaglets,’’ Balogun said.

    Recall that the Golden Eaglets lost 2-3 to Burkina Faso in their opening game and won Cote d’Ivoire by 5-1 in their second game.

    The Golden Eaglets are optimistic of making a return to the global stage by qualifying for Tanzania 2019.

  • Garba assures of Golden Eaglets’ victory over Cote d’ Voire

    Manu Garba, coach of the Golden Eaglets on Tuesday assured that his team would beat Cote d’ Voire in the WAFU Zone B qualifiers on Thursday, Sept 6.
    Garba told the News men in a telephone interview that the victory in the second group match was important to keep the hope of qualifying for the U-17 AFCON in Tanzania alive.
    “God’s willing, we shall beat Cote d’ Voire to keep hope alive,” Garba said.
    He said that the team must win the remaining two games having lost the first match to Burkina Faso.
    The Golden Eaglets made an unimpressive start losing 3-2 to Burkina Faso at the Stade Municipal in Niger on Monday.

    Read Also: Manu Garba tips Eaglets for glory

    Within a space of six minutes after kickoff, Abdoul Komi and Jean Fiacre Kouame handed Burkina Faso a two-goal lead as Manu Garba’s boys were made to pay for their poor defending.
    But the Eaglets equalised before half-time break, thanks to Olakunle Olusegun’s brace. Mubarak Compaore scored the winning goal four minutes from full time.
    Nigeria must win their last two games against Cote d’Ivoire and Benin Republic to stand a chance of qualifying for the semi-final.

  • WAFU: Golden Eaglets Battle Ready for Burkina Faso Clash

    The Golden Eaglets will be slugging it out on Monday by 4 p .m. local time with Burkina Faso as West African Football Union (WAFU) B qualifiers gets underway in Niger Republic

    The WAFU qualifiers is for qualification to the U-17 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) to hold in Tanzania which is a qualifying finale for U-17 World Cup tagged Peru 2019.

    The Coach Manu Garba-led boys would contend with two opponents in their group because of the disqualification of Benin Republic.

    Ten out of 20 Benin Republic players failed the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) test, leading to their disqualification.

    However, Nigeria is left with Cote d’ Voire and Burkina Faso in the Group.

    According to Mohammed Sanusi, General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), is upbeat the Golden Eaglets will defeate Burkina Faso in the their first match later today.

    According to Sanusi the lads were battle ready to crush any opponent in West Africa.

    He said they were well prepared to rekindle the glory of Nigeria in the U-17 category of global football.

    “We should be prayerful because tactically our boys are good to go; therefore, what we need now is just God’s intervention,” the federation scribe said.

    A new format approved for the competition at the CAF Extra-Ordinary General Assembly which took place in Rabat 13 months ago means countries in each regional bloc gather in one country within the bloc to play a qualifying tournament, as against the old format of home-and-away qualifying series.

    Only the winning team from each of the blocs (apart from the bloc of the defending champions that will produce two teams) will qualify for the final tournament, slated for Tanzania next year.

  • WAFU B U17: Eaglets arrive Niamey face B/Faso Monday

    The Nation under 17 side, Golden Eaglets arrived Niamey Friday ahead of their opening match against Burkina Faso on Monday. The tournament serves as qualifier for the 2019 Africa U17 Cup of Nations.

    A total of 16 players and members of the technical crew and backroom staff departed Abuja aboard an ASKY airline flight on Friday morning. The remaining four players as well as Head Coach Manu Garba and Team Administrator Sirajo Hassan, who could not travel on Friday as there were not enough seats available on the flight, will fly from Abuja on Saturday morning.

    A new format approved for the competition at the CAF Extra-Ordinary General Assembly which took place in Rabat 13 months ago means countries in each regional block gather in one country within the block to play a qualifying tournament, as against the old format of home-and-away qualifying series.

    Only the winning team from each of the blocks (apart from the block of the defending champions that will produce two teams) will qualify for the final tournament, slated for Tanzania next year.

    The Eaglets will play their first match of the tournament on Monday, against their Burkina Faso counterparts, before taking on Cote d’Ivoire on Thursday and Benin Republic next week Sunday. Host Niger Republic will trade tackles with Ghana’s Black Starlets and the Baby Hawks of Togo in the 7 –Nation WAFU Zone B.

    Five of the 20 players selected for the tournament by Head Coach Manu Garba (who led Nigeria to win the FIFA U17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates five years ago) are from the U15 National Team, otherwise known as Future

    20 EAGLETS FOR WAFU B TOURNEY

    Goalkeepers: John Ikedinachukwu Amah, Joseph John Essien, Joseph Ayomide Oluwabusola

    Defenders: David Akulo Ishaya, Sunday Cletus Odey, Clement Chigozie Ikenna, Sani Abacha Suleiman, Muhammad Ibrahim, Adam Agba’a Mustapha

    Midfielders: Samson Okikiola Tijani, Hassan Hussaini, Saviour Johnson Isaac, Olatomi Alfred Olaniyan, Peter Agba, Babatunde Jimoh Akinsola, Ibraheem Olalekan Jabaar, Akinwunmi Ayobami Amoo

    Forwards: Oluwatimilehin Lawrence Adeniyi, Olakunle Olusegun Junior, Favour Akem

  • Ndidi’s award excites Amiesimaka

    Ndidi’s award excites Amiesimaka

    Ex-Green Eagles Winger, Adokiye Amiesimaka, says recent young player award bestowed on Wilfred Ndidi by English Premiership Club, Leicester, is a big plus for Nigerian football.

    Ndidi, 20, a Super Eagles midfielder and former Nigerian youth international, joined the EPL side from Genk FC of Belgium.

    Amiesimaka told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone from Port Harcourt on Wednesday that the award by the former league champions showed that Ndidi was a top quality player.

    “For him to be given such an award by Leicester who won the Premier League only last season is obviously a plus.

    “It means he is a top quality player and its impact on us here is good, by virtue of the fact that he is a member of the national team,’’ he said.

    Amiesimaka, former Chairman, Sharks FC of Port Harcourt, said the award was also an indication that Nigerian football had a quality player in one of the best organised leagues in the world.

    “Even more importantly is what we’ll do with that plus, how do we make the most of that in the national team and how will it benefit us?’’ he said.

    He said that the derivation of the award should be translated to his optimal use in the national team to achieve good results in major national and international matches.

    Amiesimaka said that the welfare of Ndidi and other members of the national team should be a priority to excel in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and Russia 2018 World Cup qualifying matches.

    NAN reports that Ndidi started his career playing for the Lagos-based Nath Boys Academy in the Lagos Junior League (J-League) and won numerous accolades.

    He then played as a central defender for Nigeria’s youth team, the Golden Eaglets in 2013 for the African U-17 Championship.

    He later played for the Manu Garba U-20 youth team of Nigeria that played in the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand.

    Ndidi was called up to the Senior Nigeria team, the Super Eagles, on Oct. 8, 2015, making his debut in the friendly game against DR Congo.

    He also played again a few days later in the 3-0 win against Cameroon, when he replaced Mikel Obi in the 63rd minutes.

    He was selected by Nigeria for their 35-man provisional squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

     

  • England spanks Nigeria 8-1 in Suwon Continental Cup

    England spanks Nigeria 8-1 in Suwon Continental Cup

    Anglo-Nigerian Dominic Solanke was among the goalscorers as England U20 spanked Nigeria U17 team 8-1 in the Suwon Continental Cup.

    Manu Garba’s team was broken in the 19th minute when Young Lions’ captain Taylor Moore opened the floodgate. Barely a minute later Barnsley striker Adam Armstrong netted the first of his treble and Chelsea forward Solanke scored to make it 3-0.

    The first half scoring was capped off by an Armstrong second.

    In the second period, the on-loan Newcastle striker got his hat-trick with Patrick Roberts recording a brace and a Callum Connolly lone strike a minute after the restart.

    Golden Eaglets, playing six Nigerians (Fikayo Tomori, Ovie Ejaria, Josh Onomah, Ademola Lookman and Solanke) in Paul William’s squad managed to get a solitary goal after they had let in six goals.

    The Golden Eaglets will look to improve when the confront Iran on Thursday in their second match of the four-team invitational tourney, before facing South Korea to cap off the event.

  • Iheanacho’s Golden Eaglets beg for Calabar houses

    Iheanacho’s Golden Eaglets beg for Calabar houses

    Three years after they conquered the world in the UAE , Golden Eaglets class of 2013 have yet begged the incumbent  Cross River State Executive Governor Prof. Ben Ayade  to redeem the pledge of houses made to officials and players of the national U-17 team.

    On Tuesday (November 8), it would be exactly three years after the Golden Eaglets massacre Mexico 3-0 in Abu Dhabi to lift the FIFA World Cup for the fourth time in the presence of Immediate past Governor of the state,Senator Liyel Imoke.

    An impressed Governor Imoke later hosted the team on November 15 2013 inside the state’s council chamber at the Governor’s office in Calabar where he magnanimously pledged houses for players and officials to be located within the state’s new housing estate scheme in Akpabuyo in Calabar.

    The amiable Governor said then it was necessary to break away from the norm in order to give a befitting future to players and officials hence the state’s was duty-bound in rewarding the team with properties instead of monetary largess.

    “We want to partner and invest in you because we believe this kind of investment (house property) would yield better dividends in the future even if you no longer want anything to do with football,” Imoke told the victorious team in the presence of top officials of Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) and other state’s executives.

    ” It is three years now that we won the World Cup and the then Governor Imoke pledged all the 21 players and 10 officials houses as rewards but it is unfortunate that we are yet to be given these houses despite several appeals,” stated coach Manu Garba.

    In the team was new Super Eagles sensation Kelechi Iheanacho who was the tournament’s MVP as well Saviour Godwin and Denis Okon who are both indigenes of Cross River State.

    “It’s really painful that we don’t have our houses  even after three years and I wonder why they are yet to give us the houses promised by former  Governor Imoke ,” lamented who is now with Belgian club, Roeselare.

    ” We just have to keep begging our new Governor and pray they give us these houses because we did the state and Nigeria proud in 2013,” added Godwin.

  • 26 Eaglets fail MRI screening

    26 Eaglets fail MRI screening

    A staggering 26 members of the Golden Eaglets squad preparing for Saturday’s U-17 African Nations Cup (AFCON) qualifier against Niger failed the mandatory MRI screening conducted last week, team officials have said.

    The MRI screening, conducted at the instance of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), was carried out on 60 players in the Eaglets’ camp.

    A top team official told africanFootball.com that several members of the Eaglets starting XI had been excluded from the team with only two players surviving.

    “It is a disaster. Virtually the starting XI the coaches had been working on had been disqualified. It is a serious problem,” another official added.

     

  • Izilein warns against appointing foreign coach

    Izilein warns against appointing foreign coach

    A former coach of the Super Falcons, Godwin Izilein, on Wednesday in Benin warned against appointing a foreign coach for the Super Eagles for now.

    Izilein told the newsmen that the senior national male football team may not qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia as a result of this.

    “This is because the foreign handler will not have quality time to know the players and their mentality,’’ he said.

    Izilein, also a former coach of the Golden Eaglets, said appointing a foreign coach was equally an unnecessary waste of fund and shows lack of respect for Nigerian coaches.

    “I don’t know what this rush for a foreign coach is all about, when we do not have time on our hands for the qualification games for Russia 2018.

    “The national football authorities must understand that a coach who knows his onions needs not less than a year to know the players and their mentality.

    “He will then need also another year to put a good team in place.

    “And, again, I consider the amount that will be wasted on hiring a foreign coach as unnecessary, especially against the background of the consistent lamentation of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) of paucity of funds.

    “It also shows lack of respect for Nigerian coaches because I believe that we have quality coaches with high technical ability to manage the Eagles well and even ensure their qualification for the 2018 World Cup.

    “Should they (NFF) be in doubt of the abilities of a particular coach, I will suggest that NFF engages the best three to four indigenous coaches to handle affairs of the team.

    “This suggestion is based on the fact that the three coaches cannot all make mistakes at the same time. Where one is deficient, the other will come in handy,’’ he said.

    Izilein added that what the indigenous coaches needed to perform optimally was an environment devoid of any undue interference and the right motivation.

    “If you provide for the indigenous coach the same environment and motivation provided for the foreign one, he will definitely perform,’’ he said.

     

     

  • Golden Eaglets open camp May 8

    Golden Eaglets open camp May 8

    NIGERIA’S U17 team, the Golden Eaglets, will open training camp in Abuja on May 8 with 40 invited players, officials have told AfricanFootball.com

    The reigning world champions will begin the qualifying tournament for the African U17 Championship in August.

    Coach Manu Garba will take charge of the team after Emmanuel Amuneke was promoted with his team to the U20s.

    Manu will also conduct open screening at the FIFA Goal Project in Abuja.

    Players born after January 1, 2000, will be eligible this set of Eaglets.

    Nigeria have won the FIFA U17 World Cup a record fifth time.