New Eaglets in bright start

The previous set of Golden Eaglets remains one of the best Nigeria has produced, if not the best. Apart from the passion and enthusiasm that could easily be read in the general body language of the players, they had the flair, the movement on-and-off the ball and the positioning that could make the opposition look […]

The previous set of Golden Eaglets remains one of the best Nigeria has produced, if not the best. Apart from the passion and enthusiasm that could easily be read in the general body language of the players, they had the flair, the movement on-and-off the ball and the positioning that could make the opposition look like dunces.
This was a team that went unbeaten in both competitive and friendly matches for more than 15 months, until the 0-1 defeat by Cote d’Ivoire at the CAF U-17 Championship in Morocco.
I know a number of fellow Members of the NFF Executive Committee who preferred to travel with the Golden Eaglets than even the Super Eagles. Alhaji Muazu Suleyman, the Chairman of the Referees Committee, was one such person. He once told me that if anyone wanted to be cured of hypertension, he should simply just go and watch the Eaglets play!
Apparently, the team coached by Manu Garba (he was assisted by Emmanuel Amuneke, Nduka Ugbade and Emeka Amadi) felt galled by  that loss to Cote d’Ivoire (which also beat them in the Final match on penalties) that they were so determined to swept all before them at the World Cup.
The confidence and control that the last set had over the ball was never in doubt. They spoke to the ball and it answered them, unfailingly. They knew themselves so well that coordination was never a problem, and at the World Cup in the UAE, I remember former Super Eagles’ captain, Sunday Oliseh, asking me where we got the players from!
As Musa Mohammed lifted the trophy in Abu Dhabi that night, even the greatest cynics admitted that Nigeria football, indeed, has a future. The same set has been largely transported to the U-20 team, Flying Eagles, which was forced to 2-2 and 1-1 draws by their host, Junior Atlas Lions of Morocco, in two friendly matches last week.
Those who were in Morocco told me of how impressive the new Flying Eagles were in those matches, and the fact that the team would become even better and sharper with the arrival of a number of Eaglets who had secured contracts abroad after the triumph in UAE.
Back to the topic for today, the biggest fear we had was how to manufacture a team as good and disciplined, and passionate, as the last set of Golden Eaglets. But on the evidence of their results so far, and the good word coming out of the camp, I believe we are really and truly on the way to producing another marvelous bunch.
After only a couple of weeks in camp, Emmanuel Amuneke (assisted by Kabiru Baleria and Emeka Amadi) have been able to put together youngsters who defeated the Senior Women’s Team (Super Falcons) 6-0 in their very first friendly match, and have since gone on to defeat Yuguda Babes (2-1), Abuja Football College (2-1), Kwara Football Academy (2-0) and Pepsi Football Academy (9-0).
As the boys begin their campaign in the WAFU B U-17 Tournament in Lome, Togo today against their counterparts from Niger, and with Mali being the next opponents on 23rd April, I cannot but remember the experience of the last set against these two countries in the qualification series for the CAF U-17 Championship in Morocco.
The Eaglets’ first qualifying match was against Republic of Niger, in Niamey. According to NFF officials who were there, a lot of hanky-panky was on but our boys were not rattled. Even the centre referee played some pranks but at the end, the difference in class was so glaring that Nigeria won convincingly, 4-1. I was told that the penalty awarded to the host team to score their one goal was such a travesty. And that was the only goal that the Nigerian boys conceded during the qualifying series.
Back home, the Eaglets had no mercy on their opponents and the woodwork came to the visitors’ rescue several times, but it was still Eaglets showing amazing superiority to win 4-0.
Also on the way, they had to conquer Mali, who lost 0-2 in Calabar and boasted that they would eliminate the Eaglets in Bamako. Their size must have deceived them, for the Eaglets won that match 2-0 and even Malian fans had to applaud the brilliance of the Nigerians boys at the end of the match. Guinea also fell home and away.
At this stage, I must use this opportunity to commend the Government of Cross River State for adopting the team and taking every responsibility of the team during the qualification series, and ahead of participation in the African Championship and the World Cup.
With the promise shown right from the early stage by the new Golden Eaglets coached by Emmanuel Amuneke, I believe that the Nigeria Football Federation will soon get another State, sports-loving as Cross River State, to adopt the team ahead of the African Championships qualifiers and onwards.
Next Week: The Road To Rio (2)