The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Manu Garba

  • Eaglets ‘still awaiting’ house, land pledges

    Eaglets ‘still awaiting’ house, land pledges

    The 2013 World Cup-winning Golden Eaglets’ coach, Manu Garba, has pleaded with the Cross River and Niger States governments to respectively redeem the promise of house gifts and landed properties to the team.

    Speaking on the first anniversary of Nigeria’s triumph in the United Arab Emirates, Garba said it was about time he sounded out a reminder to Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State and his Niger State counterpart, Babangida Aliyu, saying the players as well as the officials would be eternally grateful if the gifts are delivered as promised.

    “Once again, I want to thank Governors Imoke and Aliyu for their moral and financial support to us when we won the World Cup last year but  I want to use this opportunity to remind them of the house gifts and landed properties  to us,” Sl10.ng quoted Garba as saying on Sunday.

    He said the team players and officials are hopeful that the governors’ pledges would be fulfilled before the expiration of their term in 2015.

    “Though we have had assurances, I just want to remind our amiable governors that we are still waiting for these gifts,” he stated.

     

  • 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.”

  • AYC: F/Eagles coach wants improvement

    AYC: F/Eagles coach wants improvement

    Flying Eagles coach, Manu Garba, has charged his wards to improve on their concentration after he noted some lapses in their 4-1 win over Tanzania at the weekend.

    Nigeria won 6-1 on aggregate over the East Africans, but Garba believes there is still room for improvement.

    “We made a lot of mistakes against Tanzania and some of the players did not live up to the expectations and these are some of our key players,” Garba said.

    “We had a better first half than second half. We tried to save some of our top players after the first half and to give some other players a chance to show what they can do.

    “And that was how Chidera Eze came in the score, while Kelechi (Iheanacho) would have scored at least two goals had he been more clinical in front of goal,” kickOffNigeria.com quoted Garba as saying on the match.

    The coach also berated his players for their carelessness which led to the goal they conceded.

    “The Tanzanians were not bad but they have to work on their finishing. And the goal we conceded was a cheeky one.

    “First, there was the mistake by the defenders which led to the foul and the goalkeeper ought to have arranged his wall better because that free-kick should not have beaten him,” he said.

  • Iheanacho out of starting XI for Tanzania tie

    Iheanacho out of starting XI for Tanzania tie

    The best player at the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup, Kelechi Iheanacho, will start from the bench in Nigeria’s Africa Youth Championship tie against Tanzania on Sunday.

    Flying Eagles coach, Manu Garba, picked the same side that lost 0-1 to Benin Republic in the team’s last warm up game in Cotonou on May 7, supersport.com reports.

    This means there is no place in the starting lineup for the Manchester City duo of Iheanacho and Chidiebere Nwakali who will start from the bench just as they did in Cotonou.

    Manu had toyed with the idea of starting both players, but opted for a more cautious approach as his team is playing away from home.

    His 4-4-2 formation will see Wilfred Ndidi partner Izu Omego in the heart of the back four, while Akinjide Idowu will be the ball winner for a talented midfield that boasts of  Musa Yahaya and playmaker Ifeanyi Matthew.

    Alhassan Ibrahim “Mu-azam” and Taiwo Awoniyi will lead the Flying Eagles charge for goals.

    Meanwhile, the coach of the Tanzania’s U-20 team, John Simkoko, said his team hopes to defeat Nigeria on Sunday.

  • Garba plays down FC Twente mauling

    Garba plays down FC Twente mauling

    Flying Eagles coach, Manu Garba, has played down the significance of his team’s 11-0 annihilation of FC Twente in Abuja on Thursday.

    Garba refused to be carried away with the huge scoreline, stating that the score could be misleading regarding the true strength of his team.

    He described the team as a yet to be a completed project, adding that friendly games against much stronger opponents have already been line-up to help test the team and strengthen their confidence.

    “We should not read much into the outcome of this match. We are still gradually building for the task ahead and hope to face tougher opponents in the coming days,” he told KickoffNigeria.

     

     

  • Manu Garba divides technical committee

    Manu Garba divides technical committee

    By Uchenna Ajah

    SportingLife can authoritatively reveal that the issue of elevating Golden Eaglets Manu Garba and assistants to the vacant Flying Eagles job is one of the top issues to be discussed during Wednesday’s meeting of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) technical committee in Abuja.

    A member of the body told SportingLife that while some members are backing the World Cup winning coach to be moved up to the Under-20 National team so as to take up the post vacated by erstwhile handler, John Obuh, others prefer Garba to remains with the Golden Eaglets to gather more experience with the cadet Eaglets.

    “The issue of Manu Garba is on the agenda of the technical committee meeting billed for Wednesday I can confirm, but we will not be making any announcement until after our deliberations. Already, some members are of the opinion that we should move Garba to the Flying Eagles team. However, others share a different opinion as they will prefer him to remain with the Golden Eaglets and gather more experience. By and large, the technical committee will only make our final pronouncement after Wednesday’s discussions,” our source added.

    The Flying Eagles will begin their qualifying campaign in May 2014 during the second round of the qualifiers after missing the first round having been drawn bye.

    Senegal will stage the championship between March 8 and 22 with the four top placed teams qualifying for the 2015 FIFA U20 World Cup in New Zealand.

  • NFF name U-17, U20 coaches Wednesday

    NFF name U-17, U20 coaches Wednesday

    Nigeria are to announce new coaches for their U17 and U20 teams on Wednesday after the NFF technical committee meet in Abuja.

    Manu Garba who led Nigeria to win a record fourth FIFA U17 World Cup is widely expected to be promoted to head the U20 team after coach John Obuh “stepped aside” in July.

    It is however left to be seen who will replace him in the Nigeria U17 team.

    His first assistant, Emmanuel Amuneke, was favoured for the top post, but lately second assistant coach Nduka Ugbade has gained ground to lead the U17s.

    Officials have argued they wish for continuity and so the need to stick with the U17 coaches.

    Both the Golden Eaglets and the Flying Eagles will begin their qualifying campaigns for continental glory later this year.

  • Gombe Utd hail Manu, a year after stopping his pay

    Gombe Utd hail Manu, a year after stopping his pay

    Golden Eaglets coach Manu Garba has been congratulated by Gombe United, who ironically stopped his salary last year November.

    A top source informed MTNFootball.com that Gombe United are now all over Manu and wish to share the U17 World Cup glory brought by coach.

    “You cannot believe it that Gombe United now want to part of the glory even after they stopped paying coach Manu’s salary since November, saying he was no longer in their employment,” the source said.

    It should also be noted that the coach was also allegedly short-changed by officials of the Gombe State government when he was awarded a house by his home state after the Eaglets won the 2007 U17 World Cup.

    The then assistant coach was promised a three-bedroom house by the government, but he was eventually given a two-bedroom house.

    “He’s just a good guy who has not allowed the bad system to deter him,” a top official remarked.

  • 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.

     

  • Sweden will fall now – Eaglets coach

    Sweden will fall now – Eaglets coach

    Golden Eaglets coach, Manu Garba, has said he hopes to go past group rivals Sweden in Tuesday’s U-17 World Cup semi-final.

    The Nigerians had to draw on their rich experience to draw 3-3 with Sweden in a Group F match in Al Ain penultimate week, but Manu said it would be a different ball game when the two teams meet again in the semi-final at the Rashid Stadium in Dubai.

    With a total of 20 goals in five matches, the Eaglets remain the best attacking team at the 2013 U-17 World Cup and Manu said his team will be ready to see off the Swedes.

    “I want to congratulate the boys for a job well done against Uruguay and Sweden should be ready for our fireworks in the semi-final on Tuesday,” he said.

    “We have learned so much playing against Sweden the last time, but we shall be ready for them this time around,” MTNFootball.com quoted the Eaglets coach as saying at a post-match conference on Saturday.

    With African champions Cote d’Ivoire bundled out by Argentina 2-1 in an earlier quarterfinal played at the same Stadium, Manu noted the onus is now on the Golden Eaglets to carry the banner of the continent.

    “It is unfortunate that our African brothers Cote d’Ivoire are out of the tournament, but we are going to fly the flag of the continent since so much would be expected of us now,” he noted.