The second phase of the Nigeria U20 team’s training camp will commence in Abuja on Monday, when the 35 players from the open trials are joined by 20 other players who were involved with the country’s U17 team last year
Browsing: Manu Garba
The team’s Head Coach, Manu Garba, had on February 28 invited 35 players for a screening camp
Nigeria will clash with the winner of the preliminary fixture between Kenya and Tanzania in the second round of the qualifying series for the African Youth Championship in May, with the first leg away
Garba, who led the Golden Eaglets to clinch the FIFA U-17 in UAE last year, would now wait for confirmation by the NFF Executive Committee
Garba, who won the FIFA Under-17 World Cup on two occasions as head coach and assistant coach to late Yemi Tella, stated that the Under 20 job will serve as an avenue to hunt for more talents and also to infuse those that fell on the way side in their quest to conquer the world
According to Garba, coaches can only advice their players on moves to make when offers are pouring in but lack the capacity to force any deal on them.
“All my life, I have never entertained any fear and I don’t even know what fear means,” posited Garba when pressed at a press conference
The Golden Eaglets had to draw on their rich experience to draw 3-3 against the Europeans in their preliminary 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
“I said earlier that my attack is blistering and I still maintain that it would be difficult for any team to stop us from scoring because our team loves scoring goals,” said Garba at the post-match conference
He added: “Yes, I agree that Iran has been making progress since they started but they won’t progress (beyond the second round) at the expense of Nigeria on Tuesday
A top Nigeria Football Federation official attached to the team confessed to The Eagle Online also on Monday that the player could even be involved in the quarter-final match if Nigeria qualifies for the stage
Garba told Eagle Online in Dubai before the team’s departure back to Al Ain that has now become the Eaglets home in the United Arab Emirates: “I have already told my boys to avoid committing silly mistakes that can cause us undeserved goals
The attack is built around him and he was the highest goal scorer in the African Championship and a very dependable striker for the team
Manu reminded the players about the unfortunate incident at the CAN African Championship in Morocco when they won their opening match with an identical 6-1 against Ghana only to concede a 1-0 defeat to Cote d’Ivoire in the second match
The Golden Eaglets would return to Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium on Tuesday to face debutant, Sweden, and Manu said at the post-match media conference that the National Under-17 team would approach the game against the Europeans in a professional way
Nigeria looked nervous early, but the Mexicans were unable to take advantage of their opponents’ trepidation. Striker Ulises Jaimes had a chance to score with his head after only three minutes, but the ball was deflected wide of danger by the scrambling Nigerian defence
“With all due respect, I think it is the Mexicans that should be afraid of playing us because we are a top side at this level,” Garba said at the official press conference held inside the Bin Zayed Stadium. “The first game is crucial in any tournament and we are going to play Mexico like a cup final
Immediately on arrival, Coach Manu Garba joined other representatives from Sweden, Iraq and Mexico in a formal welcome ceremony organised by the Local Organising Committee
Manu Garba also picked Bello Zaraddeen, Japhet Raymond, Musa Yahaya, Chidera Ezeh, Taiwo Awoniyi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Alfa Abdullahi, Chigozie Obasi, Abubakar Abdulazeez, Baba Salihu, Godwin Saviour, Habeeb Makanjuola, Okon Denis, Uzoha Odinaka, Chidiebere Nwakali, Abubakar Aliu, Godwin Samuel and Sunday Alampasu
The Golden Eaglets have resumed their training regimen on Tuesday upon their arrival in Dubai for a two weeks camping before the kick off of the 2013 FIFA Under-17 World Cup slated for October 17 to November 8