Manu Garba
Manu Garba confident of assembling good U-17 team ahead of WAFU tournament
The newly employed coach of the Golden Eaglets, Manu Garba, is confident that he will be able to assemble a good U-17 team ahead of the forthcoming WAFU tournament, despite a short period.
Garba, who shared his optimism in an interview with Totori News, said that he is confident in assembling a team that will qualify for the AFCON because that is his primary assignment.
According to him, most of the players of the Golden Eaglets team he is about to assemble will grow not only to the U-20 team and the Super Eagles but they will also do well individually in life.
“Despite the short period to the WAFU tournament, I am very optimistic that we will raise a good team that will qualify for the AFCON. Because that is our primary assignment for now,” Garba said.
“But most importantly, the present Golden Eaglets team that we will produce, most of them will grow not only to the U20 and the Super Eagles but they will make it in their life. This is most important.
“The under-17 is a development program, and by such, we expect all the players to develop to the highest level.
“And I believe some of these players we are presenting are likely to rise to that level.
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“We have a short time to scout for players. This might not be the players that will play all through the AFCON and the World Cup.
‘‘As we play friendly matches, there is a likelihood that we will see a better player than we have in camp. We will tell such people to go and do MRI and fight for places.
“I’ve done that several times with the likes of Taiwo Awoniyi and co, who were not part of the screening, and look at what Taiwo is now playing for one of the toughest clubs, Nottingham Forest.”
To have the Golden Eaglets camp open on April 17, Coach Garba continued, that he is collaborating with the Nigeria Football Federation and other important parties.
“I have just submitted the list of 51 players that will open the camp hopefully this Wednesday (April 17),” he continued
“I have scouted most of those players, and some lists were given to me by some stakeholders.
“But I believe the majority of the players I have scouted on my own, and I have mandated them to even do an MRI before they come to camp,” Garba added.