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Tag: kelechi Iheanacho

  • Flying Eagles’ Provisional W/C List: Iheanacho, Success picked

    Flying Eagles’ Provisional W/C List: Iheanacho, Success picked

    The duo of Kelechi Iheanacho and Isaac Success will headline Nigeria’s 35-man provisional list for the FIFA U-20 World Cup, it has been revealed.

    The much sought after list has already been submitted to world football-governing body, FIFA, ahead of the April 1 deadline, but was kept from the public at the request of the coach, Manu Garba. But the provisional list will be made public today, sl10.ng has been told.

    The names of the whole players on the list remain unclear as they have been closely guarded by the team’s technical crew.

    But sl10.ng understands that the list will be dominated by players that have worked with Manu from his time at the last U-17s through the players in the current U-20 team, as there may only be a few players on the list that have never been with the current team.

    The reason that has been given for not including too many ‘unknown’ players is that the coaches want to focus more on the players they know and those that understand their philosophy.

    As expected, Isaac Success and Kelechi Iheanacho, who both missed the last Africa Youth Championship in Senegal, will headline the list.

    The Flying Eagles are in group E of the U-20 World Cup, alongside Brazil, Hungary, and North Korea.

  • AYC: Man City seeks Iheanacho’s inclusion in Nigeria squad

    AYC: Man City seeks Iheanacho’s inclusion in Nigeria squad

    English Premier League side, Manchester City, has launched a last-minute move to get Kelechi Iheanacho into Nigeria final squad for next month’s African Youth Championship in Senegal, africanFootball.com reports.

    After first saying the player will be unavailable for the AYC in Senegal due to injury, the EPL giants had now made a dramatic u-turn, saying the former Golden Eaglets’ star could be released to join the Flying Eagles for the tournament as he has fully recovered ahead of a mid-March time frame earlier set by the club.

    The 18-year-old player has called up coach Manu Garba to inform him he has recovered from a long-term ankle injury, while expressing his willingness to feature at the AYC.

    The Most Valuable Player at the 2013 FIFA U17 World Cup, who followed the team’s recent warm-up matches in Ghana via telephone, told Manu he will even play a match for City reserves on Tuesday.

     

  • U-20 foreign- based players get January 15 deadline

    U-20 foreign- based players get January 15 deadline

    Foreign based players invited by Flying Eagles handlers for preparation towards next year’s African Youth Championship have been given a January 15 deadline to report to camp.

    “All the invitations have been sent out to the foreign based players we need for the AYC and we have given them a deadline of January 15 to join us in Kaduna,” Flying Eagles secretary, Auwal Aliyu Ibrahim, told africanFootball.com.

    “So far we have received assurances from their various clubs that they will be available for the tournament in Senegal.”

    The invited foreign based players are – Kelechi Iheanacho, Chidiebere Nwakali, Isaac Success, Chidera Eze, Musa Muhammed, Kingsley Madu, Moses Simon, Taiwo Awoniyi and Musa Yahaya.

    The Flying Eagles training camp in Kaduna will reopen on Saturday after a week’s break for the Christmas holidays.

     

  • Iheanacho injured again

    Iheanacho injured again

    Manchester City starlet, Kelechi Iheanacho, has been sidelined by an ankle injury raising concerns over his availability for both the Nigeria U–20 and U23 teams, africanFootball.com reports.

    Report says the FIFA U-17 World Cup Most Valuable Player is currently back in Manchester nursing the injury after a stint training with MLS side Colombus Crew.

    In August, Iheanacho suffered a hamstring injury, which kept him out for several weeks.

    The left-footed forward is now expected to get a work permit to ply his trade in the United Kingdom after Manchester City applied for the document from the British Home office.

    Iheanacho has been invited by both the Flying Eagles and Olympic team for crucial qualifying matches in the New Year.

  • Iheanacho, Success lead foreign players to F/ Eagles camp

    Iheanacho, Success lead foreign players to F/ Eagles camp

    Manchester City starlet, Kelechi Iheanacho and Isaac Success from Granada of Spain will lead seven other foreign based players to the Flying Eagles training camp in Kaduna ahead of next year’s African Youth Championship in Senegal.

    Manchester City has applied for a work permit for Iheanacho, while Success has already broken to the first team at his La Liga club, africanFootball.com reports.

    The two forwards have also been called up by the country’s U-23 team.

    Other foreign based players invited by the Flying Eagles coaching crew are – Chidiebere Nwakali (Manchester City/England), Taiwo Awoniyi (Kalmar/Sweden), Chidera Eze (FC Porto/Portugal), Daddy Moses ( AS Trencin/Slovakia), Kingsley Madu (AS Trencin/Slovakia), Musa Yahaya (Tottenham Hotspur/England) and Musa Muhammed ( Besiktas/Turkey).

    According to coach Manu Garba, the players are expected to join the Flying Eagles when the team’s training camp reopens on December 27.

    The coach also said he has received assurances that the players will be released by their clubs.

    The tournament starts on March 8 in Dakar, Senegal.

    The eight-team tournament will produce Africa’s four representatives to the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand.

  • AYC: Iheanacho, others to miss Lesotho clash

    AYC: Iheanacho, others to miss Lesotho clash

    Manchester City starlet, Kelechi Iheanacho and Spain-based striker Isaac Success will miss Nigeria’s 2015 African Youth Championship qualifier against Lesotho.

    Flying Eagles coach, Manu Garba disclosed that Chidera Eze from FC Porto, Musa Yahaya of Tottenham Hotspurs as well as Dele Alampasu, who is training with Genk in Belgium, will equally not be available for the August 16 match in Kaduna.

    “Kelechi (Iheanacho) was to have been released by Manchester City at least a week before the match, but the club’s recruitment officer has called back to tell us about their plans for him and so he will no longer be available,” Manu told africanFootball.com

    “Isaac Success will also not be released by Granada as he has begun playing for the first team.

    “Tottenham Hotspur will only release Musa Yahaya for the return leg match.

    “But we can cope because we have abundant talent in the team.

    “For example, take the case of Wasiu Taiwo, who just scored four goals in a test game (against Amakson on Thursday). He has been on the fringes of the first team and took his chance with four well-taken goals.

    “And so we have the players to get the result we need in the game against Lesotho.”

  • IHEANACHO URGED TO REJECT NEW YORK CITY

    IHEANACHO URGED TO REJECT NEW YORK CITY

    Nigeria’s Manchester City free scoring sensation Kelechi Iheanacho has been told to reject loan deal to new MLS team New York City FC according to reports. But at the tender age of 17, the kid  still needs plenty of rigorous development to become a top player.

    According to reports, one of the ways Manchester City plans on developing the Nigerian star striker is to send him on-loan during the upcoming season.

    Kelechi Iheanacho was absolutely outstanding during the FIFA Under 17 World Cup last year, with this highlight reel (which includes six tournament goals and seven assists) below bound to make many clubs across the world interested in his talents. The reason why Major League Soccer has been sounded out as a possibility for the left-footed player is because of Man City’s connection with New York City FC.

    The Blues went into a partnership with MLB giants New York Yankees to purchase the New York City FC franchise, and the team will make their MLS debut in March 2015.

    The partnership means it’s highly likely that City will use the link-up to improve the youngsters in their squad, and certain reports have confirmed that the EPL side will do exactly that.

    But such a move is something that ex-Nigeria coach Samson Siasia is dearly against. He believes that his compatriot should not be shipped of to MLS, with the former Super Eagles boss insisting City should loan him to an EPL side so they can track his progress more accurately.

    “I don’t think it is right for Manchester City to send the young man on loan to MLS, the best they should do for him now is to loan him to an English Premier League side where they will be able to monitor his progress. Iheanacho has done well in the pre season tour and he should be vying for a place in the squad.”

    Dismissing MLS as an option for Iheanacho is not the right approach, but like Siasia says, there might be better opportunities out there for him.

    MLS is ever improving, and Team USA’s success in the World Cup with a team made up of mostly MLS players is a sure sign that it’s not what people label as a ‘retirement league.’ The signings of Kaka, David Villa and Frank Lampard will boost the league’s profile during the 2015 season, and Iheanacho would certainly benefit from playing and training alongside Villa and Lampard during next season.

    But the big question is how ready for the Premier League is this Nigerian superstar? If he is ready now, then an EPL loan would be more suitable. But if redshirting him is the best option this season, which is more likely, then sending him to New York would be Manchester City’s best option.

  • Iheanacho will succeed with City – Yaya Toure

    Iheanacho will succeed with City – Yaya Toure

    Ivory Coast star, Yaya Toure has tipped Nigerian youngster, Kelechi Iheanacho, to record massive success with Manchester City in future.

    The former Golden Eaglets playmaker has impressed with Manchester City in the club’s tour to the United States with Manuel Pellegrini praising the 17-year old’s talents.

    Toure, the reigning African Footballer of the Year, has moved to salute the prowess of the Flying Eagles midfielder.

    “Kelechi is an exciting player. I love the way he plays and I feel that he will have a good career at the club and go on to become one of the players of the future,” supersport.com quoted Toure as saying on the club’s official website, mcfc.com.

    Iheanacho has been impressive for City in pre-season and scored in his senior debut against Kansas City on July 23.

    His performance against the MLS side was so impressive that Pellegrini described him as the “future” of the club.

    He showed his display against Kansas City was no fluke when he netted his second goal in as many games against AC Milan four days later.

  • Iheanacho shines again

    Iheanacho shines again

    Flying Eagles playmaker, Kelechi Iheanacho, continued his impressive display for Manchester City in the team’s pre-season tour with a sterling display against Liverpool on Wednesday, kickOffNigeria.com reports.

    But the English champions lost 1-3 on penalties to Liverpool after a 2-2 draw, with Iheanacho converting City’s lone spot kick.

    He started on the bench for the first time in three games, but came on as a second half substitute for James Milner.

    It was from his speculative strike at goal that Stevan Jovetic opened the scoring for City.

    That advantage was soon cancelled out by Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson before Jovetic made it 2-1.

    But Raheem Sterling levelled scores with five minutes of play left, and the game was decided on penalties.

    Alexandr Kolarov, Yaya Toure and Jesus Navas all missed for City before Iheanacho converted.

    But after Sturridge missed for Liverpool, Emre Can, Henderson and Lucas all found the target for Liverpool, putting the Anfield giants on top of the group at the International Champions Cup tournament.

    The two group winners will meet in the final.

  • Iheanacho scores another goal for City

    Iheanacho scores another goal for City

    Ex-Golden Eaglets star, Kelechi Iheanacho, capped yet another impressive performance for Manchester City with a goal in the team’s 5-1 victory over AC Milan in the International Champions Cup pre-season tournament game played on Sunday night.

    Two quick goals from Stevan Jovetic and Scott Sinclair in the 12th and 14th minutes respectively helped the English champions stun the struggling Italian giants, kickOffNigeria.com reports.

    Jesus Navas scored with a spectacular overhead kick in the 23rd minute to extend City’s lead before Iheanacho who scored on his debut against Kansas City added his name to the score sheet two minutes later.

    The 17-year-old scored City’s fourth of the evening as he picked the ball from the edge of the box, before shooting past several Milan players into the net.

    Sulley Mutari pulled a goal back for Milan after Alex nodded a corner kick in his path for him to poke home. But Jovetic restored City’s four goal lead with another goal in the 57th minute after a quick interchange of passes with Kolarov.