The National Chairman of Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Rev. Samuel Ikpea has lamented the recent spate of deaths in the Nigerian football community. Speaking with journalists in his office in Lagos, Ikpea, described the deaths of Remo Stars player, Tiyamiu Kazeem, who was killed by security officers and that of former Golden Eaglets assistant and […]
via Ikpea Bemoans Spate Of Deaths in Nigerian Football — finixsportsblog
Nigeria’s U-17 side, Golden Eaglets, will on Tuesday have their work cut out when they tackle their Argentine counterparts in a friendly match at the Argentina Football Association (AFA) Training Centre in Ezeiza, Buenos Aires.
The match, which is part of the team’s preparation towards the FIFA U-17 World Cup Chile 2015, will kick off at 3:30 pm local time (7:30pm Nigerian time).
In a related development, Golden Eaglets’ assistant coach, Kabiru Baleria, has yet again heaped plaudits on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over its choice of Buenos Aires Football (BAF) as the training camp for the national U-17 team ahead of U-17 World Cup finals.
The Emmanuel Amuneke -led side have spent few days at the idyllic BAF complex owned by former Argentine international, Matias Almeyda and Baleria said the quiet environment has added value to the team’s preparation, even as players battle for competition.
“It is nice we are here for our preparation towards the World Cup in Chile,” said Baleria, a former Nigerian International ” The boys are happy and you can see the excitement on their faces since we arrived here in Buenos Aires.”
The team has been training twice daily since arriving on Friday and the technical crew is delighted at the keen competition in camp.
Coach Amuneke praised the intensity of the training and demanded further commitment from the players, adding that much was being expected from the team in Chile.
“I’m happy with the intensity of the training but we can get better,” Amuneke said on Monday.” We have to keep working hard in the coming days because we have few days before our first match at the World Cup.”
NFF’s Assistant Director (Technical) Siji Lagunju, who is with the team in Buenos Aires, said he was impressed with the quality of training as well as the response of the players. He is also of the view that the players would in due time be well attuned to the demands of the technical crew.
National Under-17 team, Golden Eaglets on Sunday night handed a 4-2 defeat to their Egyptian counterparts in an International friendly match played at the Police Sports Stadium in Cairo.
In the match that kicked off 10:15pm local time (9:15pm Nigerian time), bean-pole striker, Victor Osimhen got a first half brace while Samuel Chukwueze and Kingsley Michael scored in the second half.
Both teams settled down quickly after referee Abdel Mohammed signalled the start of the match with the two captains Kelechi Nwakali (Nigeria) and Ahmed Hussein much in the thick of the action.
But in the 13th minute, Osimhen put the Golden Eaglets in the lead when he jabbed into the net an inch-perfect cross from Samuel Chukwueze. Osimhen followed it with another goal three minutes later when he headed straight into the net a pullout from Kingsley Michael.
Egypt pulled a goal back within a minute to spare of the first half when Walid Attya latched onto the end of a triangular pass orchestrated by Hamdy and Hosam Adel before dispatching the ball behind Eaglets’ goalkeeper Akpan Udoh.
It was the Egyptians who were back in the hunt at the restart when Karim Yehia got a pass from Ahmed Hamdy before burying the ball behind Udoh in the 52th minute.
Eaglets responded fast after the set back with some good positional play and Chukwueze added his name to the score sheet in the 58th minute when he drove a volley into the net off a pass from tireless
Usman Abass.
Michael added another goal in the 70th minute after goalkeeper Mamoud Gad fumbled with a long range shot from Osimhen who undoubtedly was the man of the match.
It was a game both teams used to test their fringe players towards the end but the match had already been won and lost as the Golden Eaglets got huge praise from the excited spectators.
Meanwhile, the Golden Eaglets that departed Cairo for Abuja aboard EGYPTAIR on Monday would return to Calabar on Tuesday to continue preparation ahead of their first leg, second round CAN Under-17 Championship fixture against Democratic Republic of Congo on July 20.
Eaglets vs. Egypt -July 6, 2014
A.Udoh- L.John, A.Usman(D. Uzama), N. Kelechi(H. Okebugwu), A. Bamidele, H, Zakari(U I. Jack (E. Agenor), K,Orji, V. Osimhen(E. Osinachi), O. Promise(K.Ayinde), S. Chukwueze
The Golden Eaglets arrived safely in Ilorin on Saturday ahead of their friendly match against Kwara Football Academy (KFA) Sunday’s match against the modelled KFA fixed for 10:00am at the Ilorin Township Stadium is yet another preparatory match for the fledging national Under-17 team being groomed for the 2015 CAN Championship to be hosted by Niger.
A contingent of 18 players and 8 officials and assistant coach, Kabiru Baleria due to his engagement at the on-going CAF’s Grade-C
License coaching course in Abuja arrived the Kwara state capital aboard Luxury Marcopolo Bus.
The entourage is led by Alhaji Yussuf Fresh, board member and chairman of the NFF’s youth committee.
Also on the trip to Ilorin en route to Lome through Lagos is Mr. Patrick Pascal (MON), special assistant to the NFF’s President on Technical matters.
Meanwhile, the Golden Eaglets’ would likely parade the duo of Kehinde Ayinde and Kolawole Gbadamosi against their counterparts from KFA.Both players who were scouted from the KFA, have been impressive in the team’s previous matches and are now relishing the prospect of playing in front of their home fans.
Yet Coach Emmanuel Amuneke maintained the friendlies in Ilorin and Lagos, would condition the players physically and mentally for the upcoming WAFU B Under-17 Tournament in neighbouring Togo.
“These games are good for the boys because it gives us the opportunity to see how they could react to different situations,” he said.
The Golden Eaglets won all their three previous matches including a 6-0 thrashing of Super Falcons and an identical 2-1 win against Yuguda Boys of Bauchi and College of Football, Abuja.
Muhammed gingers Golden Eaglets
Musa Muhammed, the inspirational captain of the 2013 FIFA Under-17 World Cup-winning team, has sent solidarity message to the new boys.
Musa has repeatedly been extolled for his uncommon leadership quality and only on Wednesday, he breezed into the NFF/FIFA Goal Project arena to watch the lads beat Yuguda Boys 2-1.
Musa in a voice note via BlackBerry to an official of the Golden Eaglets shortly after the team’s departure from Abuja to Ilorin wished the team success in their upcoming matches.
“I hope everybody is okay and doing well,” said Musa who scored a breathtaking free-kick and the last goal of the 2013 Under-17 World Cup final match when Nigeria mauled Mexico 3-0.”I want to wish the team journey mercies and good luck in all the matches.”
Now with Turkish side, Besiktas, Musa is presently in the Flying Eagles camp in Abuja and has already been promoted the captain of the national under-20 side by coach Garba Manu (MFR).
Kabiru Baleria, Golden Eaglets’ assistant coach, has gone back to school to update his knowledge of the game.
The former El-Kanemi Warriors’ attacker who was on the coaching staff of league champions, Kano Pillars, is presently undergoing the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Grade C-License course at the NFF/ FIFA Goal Project in Abuja.
Participants at the two- week course are to be taken through theory and practical sessions under some notable Nigerian coaches including former Super Eagles manager, Shaibu Amodu and former NFF’s Technical Adviser, Coach Kashimawo Laloko amongst others.
“Coaching is a continuous process,” said Baleria.”The first day introductory has been very interesting as we received encouragement
from top Nigerian coaches.”
CAF recently requested that national team coaches from its affiliate federations to acquire its coaching badges in order to be in tune with the dynamics of the game on the continent.
Meanwhile there was a mild drama at Golden Eaglets training session on Monday as some potential teenagers fell like pack of cards.
With players still coming in droves, the coaching crew was forced to give time for more trials but it all turned out to be a ruse.
Gabriel Adewale who is attached with Dynamics FC in Ekiti said the training regimen is not a child’s play, adding that the standard he
met on ground is very high.
“Messi is really trying o,” Adewale gushed out as he was being helped by the medical team.” Laziness is different from maximum power and I can see clearly now.”
Others who failed to meet up with the schedule equally admitted that they were not used to the sort of training conducted by the Eaglets technical staff.
“Football is a practical thing and it was good that some of them were given the opportunity,” said an on-looker.”Fitness is part of the game and it would never be easy to play good football without match fitness.”
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