Manu Back Golden Eaglets For Glory

Golden Eaglets

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 winover Nigeria National League 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.

Manu Garba

“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 U20 because they are the future of the senior team,” he added.

Meanwhile, Coach Aminu Happy of Sokoto United in a spirit of sportsmanship conceded that the Golden Eaglets were better off on Saturday, even as he counselled the coaching crew on the task at hand.

“I think the national team did well and they were lucky because we are just returning to camp ahead of the new season,” he said.” The coaching crew should work more on the attacking force because they need goals to win matches but overall, I’m impressed with their performance against us.”

The Golden Eaglets in the meantime, returned to Abuja from Kaduna on Sunday and would continue with their preparation ahead of next month’s CAN U-17 Championship to be hosted in Niger between February 15 and
March 1.

Ahead CAN U-17 Championship, Golden Eaglets Shelve Festive Activities

Determined to put up good a performance at CAN U-17 Championship, Niger 2015, the Golden Eaglets have shelved plans of observing public holidays in-order to continue with their training sessions at the NFF/FIFA Goal Project in Abuja.

All the national teams except the Golden Eaglets are presently on break but Emmanuel Amuneke, the Head Coach of the Nigeria’s U-17 team, said the players needed to be fit as fiddle in order to play at
optimum level even as he commended his wards for sacrificing their comfort while others are on festive holiday.

Golden Eaglets shortly before the team’s training session

“The only magic in football is fitness and not any fetish thing; and without fitness, we can’t be a winner,” said Amuneke who clocks 44 on December 25th.” By the grace of God, we would train once on Thursday
because we need to keep ourselves very fit for the task ahead.”

Wednesday’s morning training saw the players being drilled physically including athleticism, abdominal exercises amongst others and would expectedly continue with same routine in the coming days.

“We are quite impressed with the response of the players but we are going to push them even harder,” explained Amuneke.” The players need to regain their fitness level because some are still rusty since we
went on break after the qualification in September.

He adds:” For us to function well, we must be ready to work well because apart from your skill, you have to push yourselves very hard and that is why the like of Messi and Ronaldo are still the best in the world.”

Speaking further, team’s coordinator, Prince Udofia said it was important to continue with the training regimen during the festive holiday period:”I think no sacrifice is too small to be champions and
we have to commend the players’ efforts in this regard.”

The Golden Eaglets were on Sunday drawn against the hosts, Niger in Group A along with Guinea and Zambia in Group A of the 11th African U-17 Championship tagged Niger 2015 that would be held between February 15th and March 1st next year in Niamey.