The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Manu

  • Manu not under pressure

    Head coach of Nigeria National U-17 team, Manu Garba has revealed that his team is more than fifty per cent ready for the 2019 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations.

    Nigeria will play host Tanzania in the opening game of the U-17 AFCON on April 14.

    The Golden Eaglets who are five-time world champions are also billed to participate in a pre-tournament competition in Turkey next month.

    When asked if he was under pressure, having failed to qualify the team for the last AFCON and World Cup, the 2013 U-17 World Cup-winning coach says he is not new in the terrain and boasted that he hopes to qualify for the 2019 World Cup as African champions.

    ”All my life I don’t even know the word pressure because I am a firm believer of destiny. Nigeria being the best at U-17 level, I happen to be one of the coaches that have two World Cup medals,” said Manu Garba.

    ”I had never been under pressure because we believe in what we are doing to make sure we prepare our team very well for this competition.”

    ”The ultimate is to go to Tanzania first, qualify for the World Cup but most importantly, qualify as African champions.

    ”These are our aspirations, we just have one and half months to prepare but God willing, we would raise a team to make Nigeria proud by qualifying for the World Cup as African champions.”

    Nigeria, who also trade tackles with Angola and Uganda in Group A, will automatically qualify for the 2019 World Cup if they finish among the top four teams of the eight-team tournament.

  • We have no team – Manu

    We have no team – Manu

    Technical Adviser of Gombe United FC, Manu Garba has said they are not prepared for the Premier League because he is yet to have a team.

    He said the team lacked the firepower to win matches and therefore cannot go into tournaments the way it is except it is overhauled, most especially the attacking line.

    Manu spoke after Gombe United’s third place defeat to Remo Stars in the third place match in the just concluded Super Four Tournament meant to determine the actual champion of the Nigeria National League (NNL)

    “Right from the time that I joined this club, I told them that they need to get good forwards. Our deficiency is in the finishing.

    “We need to go back to the drawing board and work on our finishing on goals because definitely, we cannot go to tournaments with most of these forwards. That is the department we need to reinforce.

    He said the Savannah Scorpions were not fully prepared for Premiership action even as “it is the only team that has not gone out for preparatory camp against the forthcoming season.” He said the management at a meeting with the technical crew on Wednesday accepted that the team needed to go out for a concentrated camp.

    Garba Manu in the meantime appealed to supporters and fans which cheered Remo against Gombe United that “the team will deliver in due course, God willing.”

    Gombe United managed to force Remo Starts to a 1 – 1 draw from the spot in the dying minutes of the game and went on to lose the resultant penalties shootout 2 – 4.

  • Manu opens Eaglets’ screening with 40 players

    Manu opens Eaglets’ screening with 40 players

    NIGERIA’S 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup-winning coach Manu Garba (OON) will on Monday begin the screening of new players at the NFF/FIFA Goal Project in Abuja, towards putting together another world conquering squad that will start with qualification for next year’s Africa U-17 Cup of Nations  to be hosted  in Madagascar.

    The Golden Eaglets are the current world champions after a team led by Emmanuel Amuneke (MFR) won a record fifth title for the country in Chile last year, and Garba noted all hands must now be on deck with the team’s qualifier against neighbouring Niger fast approaching.

    Garba told thenff.com that the open screening would last for three weeks starting with a list of 40 invited players scouted across the country, even as he called on ambitious and confident players within the stipulated age bracket to avail themselves of the opportunity. “We don’t have much time to waste and we are going to use just three weeks for open screening in order to have a close look at the 40 invited players,” stated Garba.”It will also be an opportunity for us to see others, since many uninvited players may also turn up, based on our previous experience.”

    The Golden Eaglets would be away to Niger Republic on the first weekend of August, with the reverse fixture a fortnight later. The final tournament of the U-17 AFCON will be held from 2nd  16th April 2017 in Madagascar.

  • Manu Garba tips Eaglets for glory

    Manu Garba tips Eaglets for glory

    Nigeria’s 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup-winning coach, Manu Garba, has again rallied behind the Golden Eaglets’ quest for a successful defence of their title at the forthcoming global cadet championship in Chile.

    Nigeria holds the enviable record of four titles in this category with victories in 1985, 1993, 2007 and 2013, and Garba, who was instrumental to the last two successful campaigns, believe the class of 2015 can go all the way yet again.

    Reacting to the Chile 2015 World Cup draw that pitched Nigeria against host Chile, Croatia and USA, Garba reckoned the Golden Eaglets under his former assistant, Emmanuel Amuneke would have to gird their loins.

    “It’s not an easy group, Chile is the host and  South American teams are always good.  Croatia is part of former Yugoslavia along with Serbia that just won the U-20 FIFA World Cup in New Zealand which shows their football culture is good and USA  plays with aggression. But they all are up against Nigeria, four-time World Cup winner and the  No. 1 ranked team at that level.

    “I’m very optimistic that with good preparations and motivation,we can qualify from this tough group and go all the way to excel and I wish my dear country good luck in Chile,” added Garba.

    Meanwhile, the Golden Eaglets continued with their preparation ahead of the World Cup with a 10-1 ‘cricket score win’ against Beautiful Tour FC of Abuja on Friday. New recruit Funso Bamigboye grabbed a first half hat trick including a masterpiece as he dribbled almost half of the field before slotting the ball into the net. Beautiful Tours’ consolatory goal was scored towards the end of first half by Ugochukwu Chidiebere. But there was also a second half  brace for Eaglets’ Terem Moffi as well as a goal each for Joel Esiklie, Haggi Katho, Gavi Thompson, Suleiman Abdullahi and Emmanuel Ezekiel. In the meantime, Friday’s win took Golden Eaglets’ goal tally to an impressive 194 in 58 domestic and international matches.

  • Manu pleased with Flying Eagles

    Manu pleased with Flying Eagles

    Head coach of Nigeria’s U-20 football team,  Manu Garba has expressed satisfaction with  his charges’ 3-1 win over Senegal in the opening game of this year’s Africa U-20 championship in Senegal.

    Goals from Ifeanyi Matthew and Taiwo Awoniyi who bagged a brace, saw the Nigerian side cruise to a straightforward 3-1 victory over the Senegalese at Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor in Dakar.

    The Flying Eagles seemed to run out of steam in the second half following a blistering start to the game but Manu stressed that winning their first game was more important than the actual performance.

    “It is our first three points of a very important competition,” Manu said.

    He went on to state that the side had taken a giant step towards qualifying for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand.

    “The result of any opening game is very crucial in a tournament like this and we are grateful to God we won.

    “We have now taken a foot towards qualifying for the World Cup.

    “We did not know a lot about Senegal before the match, but the boys did a good job.

    “But we have also put this game behind us and our focus is on our next game on Wednesday (against Congo),” he said.

    Nigeria will face Congo on Wednesday at the Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor in Dakar in their second preliminary game.

    They will then round off their Group A campaign on March 14 against the Ivory Coast at the Stade Caroline Faye in M’Bour.

  • Manu: Final selection will be devoid of Sentiments

    Manu: Final selection will be devoid of Sentiments

    Flying Eagles coach Manu Garba has said his final team  selection for the 2015 Africa Youth Championship(AYC) will be devoid of sentiments.

    The final team lists for the competition are expected to be submitted to CAF latest midnight of February 26.

    Twenty-eight players are in the provisional list, of which seven will be dropped – but it is expected that the bulk of the team will come from the 2013 U-17’s – but Manu has promised to make his selection devoid of any sentiments.

    “The selection we are going to make will not be fraught with sentiments, I can promise you that,” he began.

    “It is strictly going to be based on what each player has contributed since we started this process, not what they did in the past.

    “I know everybody probably thinks the team will be made up predominantly of the last U-17 boys, and even though that is possible, it will be because they deserve to be in the team and not because they played in the U-17,” he told sl10.ng.

    Genk of Belgium starlet Wilfried Ndidi has been included in the provisional list and is expected to make the final 21, although that will depend on the NFF securing his release on time.

    Chidiebere Nwakali is certain to miss out, after his club, Manchester City said he would not be released for the tournament, but it remains to be seen if Kelechi Iheanacho will make the final cut.

  • Manu backs Golden Eaglets for glory

    Manu backs Golden Eaglets for glory

    Manu Garba, the 2013 FIFA Under-17 World Cup winning coach, believes the Niger 2015-bound Golden Eaglets being managed by Coach Emmanuel Amuneke can go all the way at the 11th African cadet championship.

    Watching the new lads for the first time during Saturday’s 2-0 win over Nigeria National League (NNL) side, Sokoto United at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna, Garba drew out some positives, advising Nigerians to rally behind the team’s quest for glory in Niger.

    He said he has already hinted his predecessor on some technical tips, saying he was confident that the Amuneke-led team is also on the threshold of history with good preparations for their upcoming competitions.

    “It would be wrong to start comparing this present team with the one that won the World Cup,” began Garba now tinkering with Flying Eagles.

    “I was particularly impressed by the two well planned goals. The team will surely qualify for the World Cup and with inclusion of other good players and good preparations, we can conquer the world again.

    “Good luck to the team in Niger as we shall keep on praying for all our national teams especially Under- 17 and U-20 because they are the future of the senior team,” he added.

  • Manu dedicates trophy to Goodluck, wife

    Manu dedicates trophy to Goodluck, wife

    Coach Manu Garba (MFR) has dedicated Nigeria’s fourth record FIFA Under-17 World Cup victory to both President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Hajiya Babita Garba after Golden Eaglets 3-0 thrashing of Mexico on Friday in Abu Dhabi.

    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 jewel of inestimable value more than anybody deserved praises for the feat he achieved with his team. He recalled it was only President Jonathan that hosted the team upon their team’s return from the CAN Under-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,” Manu said. “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 Trophy.”

    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 AFCON 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 the first person he called immediately y after the final whistle of the match that saw his young guns dethroned Mexico as the World Under-17 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 so much for taking care of the home front.”

    Manu also heaped praises 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 NFF’s President Alhaji Aminu Maigari for a dinner reception hosted by Nigeria’s Embassy in the UAE.

  • Manu: My Eaglets are future Eagles

    Manu: My Eaglets are future Eagles

    Coach Manu Garba has tipped his Golden Eaglets to go on to be full internationals after they won the 2013 FIFA U17 World Cup in fine style.

    “I see them moving up to the U20 team and then becoming the future Super Eagles,” said an elated Manu after Nigeria clinched a record fourth U17 World Cup at the expense of Mexico in Abu Dhabi.

    “We were the most consistent and most entertaining team at this World Cup.

    “And I believe we have left an indelible mark at this tournament.”

    Manu said the record victory was for the whole of Africa.

    “I thank God for the victory, it was a massive victory for us. This is not only for us Nigerians, but for the entire Africa who backed us to achieve this,” he said.

    The ex-Gombe United coach was assistant to late Yemi Tella when Nigeria won the FIFA U-17 in Korea 2007.

  • Manu to Keshi: My players are good enough for Brazil 2014

    Manu to Keshi: My players are good enough for Brazil 2014

    • Says Eaglets will learn more under the Big Boss

    Golden Eaglets’ head coach, Manu Garba has challenged the Super Eagles’ handler, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi to look in the direction of his players for next year’s senior FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

    The Eaglets have been flawless since the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Cup began in the United Arab Emirates(UAE) and are only a game away from carting away a record fourth cadet title on Asian soil.

    Ahead of the final match in Abu Dhabi tomorrow, Manu told journalists in Sharjah that Keshi would do very well to invite some of the players to camp for them to gain additional knowledge and experience leading to the 2018 edition which he said they would be prepared for.

    The Eaglets gaffer said that securing spots in the 2014 FIFA World Cup squad may be a tall order for his boys because they still lack the necessary requisite experience to cope with the demands of the senior World Cup.

    But Manu noted that his boys would relish the opportunity for some of them to train with the Super Eagles and that it would remain indelible in their hearts till when they would have their own chance in the senior national team.

    “Yes, I believe that some of my players are good enough for the Super Eagles. They can play at next year’s World Cup though it may be too early for them. They can, however, gain experience from their stay in the Eagles’ camp that will be of help when they have the opportunity to represent their fatherland in 2018 World Cup.

    “I want to appeal to Keshi to give some of the Eaglets the chance to train with the senior national team because they will definitely have something to learn that will be of immense benefit to them in the future,” Manu told journalists after the Eaglets 2-0 win over Uruguay in Sharjah last Saturday.

    Two goals from Taiwo Awoniyi got the Eaglets a spot in the last four before another impressive 3-0 scoreline over Sweden in the semi final which secured their place in the final.