Flamingoes good to go!

Of particular interest to the Nigeria Football Federation and indeed all Nigerians is tomorrow’s match between the U-17 National Team, Flamingoes, and their counterparts from China People’s Republic.Over the last 23 years, Nigeria has remained one of the very few countries on earth that never misses a women’s tournament, senior or youth. At senior level, […]

Of particular interest to the Nigeria Football Federation and indeed all Nigerians is tomorrow’s match between the U-17 National Team, Flamingoes, and their counterparts from China People’s Republic.
Over the last 23 years, Nigeria has remained one of the very few countries on earth that never misses a women’s tournament, senior or youth. At senior level, our Super Falcons participated at the first FIFA Women’s World Cup in China in 1991, and then again represented Africa at the 1995 finals in Sweden, 1999 and 2003 finals in USA, 2007 finals in China and 2011 finals in Germany. The girls reached the quarter finals in USA in 1999, and in 2011 broke a record of not winning by beating Canada in Germany.
I also recall that our U-20 girls, Falconets participated at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada in 2002, and then showed up in Thailand in 2004, Russia in 2006, Chile in 2008, Germany in 2010 and Japan in 2012. Remember that our best outing to date in that event came in Germany, where we won the silver medal.
It is also with pride that I recall that our U-17 girls, that we proudly call Flamingoes, were there at the very first FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, in New Zealand in 2008, represented Africa in Trinidad and Tobago in 2010 and were also at Azerbaijan in 2012.
Although the present squad did not play any qualifying matches before reaching the finals in Costa Rica, players and officials were never in any doubt as to the seriousness of the business at hand, and have grabbed opportunities of friendly matches to learn lessons and perfect their act.
Against Ghana’s U-17 team, known as Black Maidens, the Flamingoes won home and away (3-0, 2-1) to underscore the well-known superiority of our women’s teams over those of Ghana.
Our women’s football has been growing very well in the past few years and the exploits of the Falconets in Germany and Japan, and the quarter final efforts of the Flamingoes in Trinidad and Tobago and Azerbaijan showed clearly that we are far away from the starting point.
However, in as much as have long moved away from the starting point, it is time that we start moving to glory station. That is why the NFF has done everything possible to motivate the Flamingoes Class of 2014 to go to Costa Rica and conquer the world.
The number of friendly matches afforded the team is unprecedented, with a training tour of Nigeria to play top-of-the-range women Premier League clubs followed by the two-leg friendly encounters with Ghana and succeeded by a 19-day training tour of Faro, Portugal, where the team trained with the best facilities possible and still played a number of friendlies, including one away in Brussels to the U-17 Women National Team of Belgium.
Many people have been asking about how much we have motivated the team. My answer has remained that of all the National Teams, Flamingoes can claim to be the most motivated at the moment – having been granted an unprecedented 100 per cent increase in match bonuses and allowances.
The girls also have motivation from the boys’ squad of the same category: Only four (4) months ago, the Golden Eaglets conquered everyone and everything on their path to winning the FIFA U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, thereby becoming the only team in the world to lift that trophy four times.
Incidentally, Mexico (then Cup holders) was one of the teams in the group of the Golden Eaglets in the UAE, and got bashed six goals in our first match, and then another 3-0 bashing in the final match. Certainly, the Flamingoes can give Mexico’s girls of the same age similar treatment.
I was on the line to Coach Bala Nikyu when the team arrived in San Jose and have been assured of the confidence and good team spirit that is running through the squad.
The clash with the Chinese girls will mean so much to our girls’ progress in the campaign and everything that should be done to put our team in high spirit has been done, and still being done, by the Nigeria Football Federation.
And, the biggest motivation of all, comes from our dear President, the Official Number One Supporter of all the National Teams, His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR.
President Goodluck Jonathan has done everything to show his keen love and adoration for sports, and sportsmen and women who have brought honour to our country since he came into office have all been honoured and rewarded.
So, go on girls, show the world what stuff you are made of. Show them the undying spirit of the Nigerian, and know very well that once victory is earned, our President is waiting to roll out the goodies for you.
Next Week: The Road To Rio (1)