The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has enjoined the coaching crew
of the National Under-17 team to renew stiff but healthy competition
in the team even as new recruits were told emphatically: ‘no automatic
shirt in Golden Eaglets.’
This much was said by the duo of Barrister Chris Green, a board member
of the NFF/Technical Committee’s Chairman and Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme,
Director Technical, at a parley with the team inside the lecture room
at the Goal Project.
A squad of 30 players pooled from the silver-winning squad at the
last African Under-17 Championship in Morocco and budding ones picked
after two-weeks of screening at the NFF/ FIFA Goal Project Centre in
Abuja would be heading to Calabar to continue build-up ahead of the
2013 World Cup in the UAE.
Speaking in his characteristic frank manner, Green stated
matter-of-factly that both the new and old players would be starting
from ‘ground zero’ since the NFF is desirous to see the Golden Eaglets
mount the podium as world champions yet again since their last
accolade in 2007.
“I hope you know we are the best country in the world at the Under-17
level,” Green said. “But it has been a long time that we won the
trophy and that is why we are encouraging the coaches to assemble only
the best players that can do us proud in the UAE.
“You must have seen that the standard of this team is very high
because there is no automatic shirt for any player in the Golden
Eaglets or in any of the national teams for that matter and you must
have something extra to break into the team,” he added.
Similarly Dr. Ikpeme, a trained sports psychologist, advised the
players to be focussed in order not to jeopardise their future,
insisting that the NFF would not condone any undisciplined conduct in
the team.
“Barrister Green has said it all,” noted Ikpeme“But I just want to let
you know that nobody is sure of his position in this team until the
final list is made for the World Cup as such, you be the best to be in
the team.”
Both Green and Ikpeme commended the coaching crew and the backroom
staffs for their unalloyed commitments and sacrifice in building the
team that is now the toast of all Nigerians from the scratch.
Meanwhile, the NFF has arranged for all prospective players in the
team to undergo the mandatory Magnetic Resonance Test(MRI) at the
Abuja National Hospital to ensure that only players within the age
bracket as stipulated by FIFA would don the country’s colour at the
World Cup in the UAE in October.
The Super Eagles will on Friday morning at the FIFA Goal Project site
test their might against Abuja FC in a game primed to test the readiness
of the players for the war against the Ivorain Elephants in Abdjan.
Team Coordinator, Emmanuel Atta, says Head Coach, Stephen Keshi has
already approved the game and necessary contacts have been made for
the test match, which will be played on Friday morning. FC Abuja,
features in the second tier of the Nigerian league and have been
described as a very solid side by several coaches.
Meanwhile,
only 18 players from the 24 presently in camp will make the trip to
Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire for the return leg of the final round qualifier
of the CHAN championship. Team Secretary, Dayo Enebi Achor, said only 18
players will be dressed for the encounter and it will be useless taking
more than such number to Abidjan, as others who have been in camp with
the rest of the squad should have gained the much needed experience.
Before now 20 players were primed for the trip.
The team
continues its buildup at the Atro Turf pitch of the Goal Project in
Abuja, with all the 24 players showing enthusiasm about the possibility
of making the final cut for the Abidjan trip.
Keshi has already assured
them that there will be no favouritism in the final selection of players
for the trip as only merit will be the yardstick.
Courtesy:
Ben Alaiya
MEDIA OFFICER
Super Eagles Of Nigeria
Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi has said Fernabahce of
Turkey star defender, Joseph Tambarin Yobo, remains the national team
skipper, even if he has not been in constant contact with him recently.
Speaking at a media interraction at the team’s camp Bolton White
Apartments in Abuja on Wednesday, Keshi says he has a lot of respect for
Yobo because of what he has done for the nation and cannot invite him
to the team only to put him on the bench. “It will not be fair to invite
Yobo to the national team and asked him to be on the bench, it will be a
huge disgrace and I won’t be part of that. When the team needs him he
will be recalled and will definitely start as captain even if along the
line we substitute him”.
Keshi used the opportunity of the
media parley to praise the proactive manner the Nigeria Football
Federation have been handling affairs of the national players despite
its lean financial situiation and thanked the Aminu Maigari led board
for their hardwork.
He called for more support for the NFF so
that they can meet their obligations to all the national teams and
declared that all the players who have not been invited in the current
squad still have an opportunity to be part of the team in nearest future, provided they keep their form.
“For the captain of the team,
he has to work extra hard to remain so because he is leader of the team
and that has been the philosophy of the team since we took over because
that was the way we were brought up to captain the national team”,
declared the longest serving Eagles captain.
Stephen Keshi is preparing the Home based eagles for the return leg of the CAF CHAN qualifiers in Ivory Coast with Nigeria taking a 4-1 advantage.
