Former coach of Nigeria’s national U-17 and U-20 teams, John Obuh, has apportioned the inability of the Golden Eaglets to qualify for the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup from the U-17 AFCON in Algeria to inadequate preparation of the team, Completesports.com reports.
According to the former coach of Kwara United, the Golden Eaglets’ performance in Algeria was a reflection of how ill-prepared they were. He said the boys would have done better if they had gone on a training camp outside the country and played games with their counterparts from other countries
“Playing training matches with academy teams is not enough preparation for the team to excel in Algeria. The boys needed exposure, but they didn’t get it and we paid dearly for it by failing to be among the four African representatives at the World Cup.
“I don’t really know why NFF didn’t consider arranging a tour for the boys. I hope that in future such mistakes will not be repeated. There are good talents in that team and I will urge the NFF to keep and monitor the players for the Under-20 team. They should not be abandoned because they failed to qualify for the World Cup.
“I feel for Coach Nduka Ugbade who had done very well assisting other coaches to win the U-17 World Cup. He is a workaholic who deserved to be at the World Cup but he unfortunately lost out at U-17 AFCON. I really think the NFF should let him move up to the Under-20 so that we don’t waste the talents in this team,” coach Obuh stated
Nigeria lost in the 2023 U-17 quarter-finals to their counterparts from Burkina Faso after emerging as second-best in their group behind Morocco.
By Richard Jideaka, Abuja
Copyright © 2022 Completesports.com All rights reserved. The information contained in Completesports.com may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the prior written authority of Completesports.com.
