The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Manu Garba

  • Manu boasts: Uruguay can’t stop us

    Manu boasts: Uruguay can’t stop us

    Golden Eaglets’ head coach Manu Garba has stated that it would be difficult for any country including Uruguay to stop his boys progressing to the last four of the ongoing FIFA U17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

    The Nigerians have been awesome in front of goal scoring 18 goals from four games and letting in only five. They defeated the Iranian U17 side at the Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain on Tuesday to set a Saturday date with the Uruguay team that eliminated Slovakia 4-2 in the second round same day.

    Speaking with journalists in Al Ain, Manu disclosed that the Eaglets were getting better with each passing day and would ensure that their quarter final opponents do not stand in their way and a place in the semi final.

    The country’s reps raced to a three-goal lead in the first half by Samuel Okon, Kelechi Iheanacho and Captain Musa Muhammed and another by Musa Yahaya in the second half to seal Nigeria’s berth in the quarter final and a date with Uruguay in Sharjah on Saturday.

    “I said earlier that my attack is blistering and I still maintained that it would be difficult for any team to stop us from scoring because our team loves scoring goals,” said Manu at the post-match conference.”

    With 18 goals in four matches, the Golden Eaglets now have an average of 4.5 goals per match and Manu said there are still many more to come: “We don’t pretend we are an attacking team and though there are still a few errors, we are going to correct them as we go further and progress.”

  • Eaglets to stick with ‘Barca’ style

    Eaglets to stick with ‘Barca’ style

    Coach of Nigeria’s U17 team Manu Garba has stated that he has no reason to change his tried and tested coaching style which has seen his team make it to the quarter finals of the ongoing FIFA U17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

    Manu, who at the commencement of the cadet Mundial stated that his football philosophy is fashioned around the playing style of passing teams like Barcelona, added that the best form of defence is to attack.

    In the flash interview immediately after the Iran match, he said: “I always want my team to attack and I would always improvise because this is a team where anybody can score.”

    The Eaglets gaffer said he rated the players eighty percent for being able to score four goals in a match ‘of this magnitude’ which is a knockout stage of a World Cup. He also hoped they continue in that light till the end of the competition.

  • Iheanacho will be fit for Uruguay tie – Eaglets coach

    Iheanacho will be fit for Uruguay tie – Eaglets coach

    Nigeria leading scorer, Kelechi Iheanacho, will be fit for Saturday’s U-17 World Cup quarterfinal against Uruguay, the team coach told MTNFootball.com.

    Iheanacho has scored five goals in the competition and coach Manu Garba has assured the striker will be available for the Uruguay test.

    “It is a minor injury and Iheanacho should be back for the next game,” the coach assured.

    Star striker Isaac Success is still nursing a hamstring injury.

     

  • U-17 World Cup: Iraq will fall – Eaglets’ coach

    U-17 World Cup: Iraq will fall – Eaglets’ coach

    Nigeria’s U-17 coach, Manu Garba, has predicted his team will beat Iraq on Friday to qualify for the knockout stage of the cadet World Cup in United Arab Emirates.

    The Golden Eaglets will do battle with bottom team Iraq in Friday’s last Group F match at the Al Rashid Stadium in Dubai, MTNFootball.com reports.

    The Iraqis will be seeking their first win in the history of the competition, but Manu said it will not be against his team.

    “We have no other way than to win our game against Iraq and Insha Allah (by the grace of Allah), we are going to win,” Manu said.

    “We respect Iraq but we are going to do everything in our capacity to win the match because our objective is to do very well at this championship.”

    Manu regreted the absence of Africa U-17 championship top scorer Success Isaac, but said there are capable players to replace him.

    “Success had a scan today and it is unfortunate that he would not be available against Iraq,” said Manu. “But we have other players who can do the job and a good example is Taiwo Awoniyi, who scored the equalizer against Sweden.”

    Speaking later to Iraq TV, Manu said he has great respect for the Iraqis but maintained that the Golden Eaglets will have the upper hand on Friday.

    “I respect the Iraq’s team because they play good, possession football, but we would show them on Friday that we are slightly above them,” he noted.

    Kick-off time is 2pm Nigerian time.

     

     

  • Eaglets’ striker to undergo scan in Dubai

    Eaglets’ striker to undergo scan in Dubai

    Golden Eaglets striker, Isaac Success, could undergo a scan following the injury he sustained in his team’s 3-3 draw with Sweden in the ongoing FIFA Under-17 World Cup game in United Arab Emirates.

    The team coach, Manu Garba, disclosed that the striker will be scrutinised medically to ascertain his fitness ahead of Friday’s clash against Iraq.

    “The doctor has told me Isaac Success will have to be checked when we get to Dubai. It is possible to have a scan on his injury to be sure the extent of damage as we cannot say for now.

    “I’m trusting that barring anything serious he should be fit for our next game. But we will wait to hear from the doctor (of the team) to know what is next,” supersport.com quoted the Eaglets’ coach as saying to journalists on Wednesday.

    Garba also took time to decipher the performance of the Golden Eaglets against Sweden at the Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain.

    He blamed the three goals his team conceded against Sweden on “lack of concentration.”

    “We did well against Mexico and I scored the players 90 percent. But today (Tuesday), I can only give them 60 percent because all the three goals we conceded were due to lack of concentration,” Garba said.

    “We knew that the Swedes would play a direct kind of game which is typical of their style and we told the players but it was unfortunate that we conceded those goals through lack of concentration.

    “Of course, we came out to win but we are happy with the draw and I believe this is how God wanted it to be. We knew how they were going to play and I don’t think it was the size, that mattered rather the timing of our defence was poor.”

    Garba has, however, promised that “the Iraqis would live to tell the story” when they face Nigeria in one of the final games of Group F in Dubai.

     

  • Iheanacho a star in the making – Eaglets coach

    Iheanacho a star in the making – Eaglets coach

    Golden Eaglets coach, Manu Garba, has tipped Kelechi Iheanacho to be one of the stars at the ongoing U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

    MTNFootball.com reports that Iheanacho scored four goals as Nigeria dumped reigning champions Mexico 6-1 in an opening group game on Saturday.

    “I am not surprised that he was able to score four goals for us because he is a very good player and I have no doubt that he would be one of the stars to watch out for at this tournament,” Manu remarked.

    The four-goal hero revealed that he prayed for two goals and got even more.

    “Before the match, I specifically requested for two goals from God and after scoring the first two in the first half, I never knew God has better plans for us,” he said.

    “The glory of this victory belongs to all of us because it was a team effort and we are all looking forward to a good tournament.”

    He said the goals are to the memory of his late mother as well as his younger brother, Chibuike.

    Mrs. Iheanacho passed on in February and Iheanacho said her memories flooded back as he entered the pitch against the defending champions, adding that she would be proud of his achievement.

    “Of course, I remember my mum before the start of the match, but there is nothing I can do about her death. I dedicate the goals to her memory as well as to my younger brother, Chibuike Iheanacho, who I believe would be a very great player in the future,” he said.

     

  • CAF U-17: Garba wants Cote d’Ivoire revenge

    CAF U-17: Garba wants Cote d’Ivoire revenge

    Golden Eaglets coach, Manu Garba, has said he will seek to avenge a 1-0 loss against Cote d’Ivoire in Saturday’s CAF U-17 Championship final.

    Cote d’Ivoire inflicted the Eaglets first-ever loss whether in a friendly or competitive game.

    Manu said his team was unlucky in the group game against the Ivoirians.

    “The final match against Cote d’Ivoire on Saturday is going to be a different ball game because we were unlucky when we lost 1-0 in the group stage,” the coach told MTNFootball.com.

    “We are going to play a better game because we now know them better.”

    The continental championship though remains the main target of the Golden Eaglets.

    “We are very happy to qualify for the final because our aim was to come here and win this trophy and make Nigerians happy,” said forward Chidera Ezeh.

    “We are happy to be in the final and as usual, we would be waiting for instructions from our coaches to play against Cote d’ Ivoire in the final.”

    Tunisia coach Ben Soltane Abdelhay equally admitted that Wednesday’s semi-final was a difficult game for both teams, while admitting that the Nigerians were stronger and deserved their place in the final.

    “It was a tough match for us because the Nigerias were stronger physically,” he said.”The temperature affected us too but that is not taking anything away from Nigeria.”

    Saturday’s final between Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire would be the first at this level, but it would be Nigeria’s fourth final appearance.

    The Golden Eaglets conquered the continent twice in 2001 and 2007, but were unsuccessful in 1995.

     

  • CAF U-17 tourney: Eaglets will be champions – Garba

    CAF U-17 tourney: Eaglets will be champions – Garba

    Golden Eaglets coach, Manu Garba has restated his team will be African U-17 champions after Sunday’s 6-1 victory over Ghana.

    Supersport.com reports that Nigeria has won the U-17 championship twice with the last triumph being in 2007 in Togo.

    “We enjoyed this victory against the Ghanaians because they a good side and we are traditional opponents,”Supersport.com quoted Garba as saying at the post match conference.

    “It is a good start for us, but we remain focused because we have not won anything yet.

    “This is not the first time Nigeria is winning by a big margin at this level, when we won the tournament in Togo in 2007, we beat Eritrea 8-0, but this is the first time we are beating Ghana this way.

    “We are happy and we are looking forward to a good tournament and by the grace of God, we shall qualify for the World Cup as African champions.”

    Star striker Isaac Success lived up to the billing by grabbing four goals with Bernard Bulbwa and Kelechi Iheanacho also getting among the goals.

    Success was given the match ball following his hat-trick and has dedicated his goals to his mother and Golden Eaglets teammate, Friday Njengo, who is still at the National Hospital Abuja following injury in an auto crash in February.

    Njengo, who had been in coma for weeks, was recently transferred from the hospital’s intensive care unit to the general ward as he recuperates.