You have been in camp in Qatar for some weeks now. How are the boys responding to training?
They are doing fine. They are young and willing to learn. They are quick to grasp what the coaches tell them and are players any coach will dream to work with. I see so much potential here in the players.
People have been talking about this current crop of players. What do you think is special about them?
I think what sets them apart is their fighting spirit and work rate. Their assimilation and transmission of what they are taught on the field is amazing.
They won all their qualifying games home and away. What was the secret?
(Laughs) There’s no secret as such. They are just good students, willing to learn. Their level of assimilation is really high. If a good student reads and prepares very well for his examination, it is expected that he will pass with distinction. Success did not come overnight. They worked hard to qualify and are still working hard to win the African Championships.
Who is that key player among them that you cannot do without?
All of them.The strength of the team is in our numbers. We play and win as a team. They are all superstars.
Then there’s the observation that the team is about the youngest ever set of Golden Eaglets ever assembled.
How did the coaches go about selecting them?
The boys were selected from all over Nigeria. We did not just sit down and wait for players to be recommended to us by anybody. Our chief coach travelled a lot and saw most of the players before they were invited. Moreover, we had an open screening where over 2000 youths came and we selected the best out of that lot. We paid particular attention to their ages and I can tell you this is a team for the future.
Talking about the chief coach, what is his relationship with the other coaches and how do you arrive at the players and formations to be used for each game?
The relationship is excellent, I must tell you, because we are all matured people and are working toward one goal. As per selection of players and adoption of tactics or formations, we all put heads together to decide what tactics to adopt before choosing the players who can interpret what we want to achieve.
How has the NFF helped in the preparation of the team for the African Junior Championships?
The fact that we are currently on this training tour is a testament to the fact that the NFF has been very supportive. They have made sure that we lacked nothing in Qatar and for that we must give kudos to the President,Alhaji Aminu Maigari and the entire board and members of the federation. They have really tried for us.
For the benefit of our readers, how will you describe the facilities at the Aspire Centre?
(Laughs) It’s better seen than imagined. The facilities here are out-of-this-world. The pitches are some of the best you can get anywhere in the world and the accommodation quarters are like three-star hotel status.
Looking forward to the African Junior Championships coming up later this month in Morocco, the Eaglets have been grouped alongside Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and Congo. How much do you know of these countries and how are you preparing to deal with them?
We know them well. We have our means of monitoring these countries and we have not been sitting idle, doing nothing. We have a lot of materials about them from our Technical Department but, most importantly, technical matters are not discussed on the pages of newspapers. We are prepared to face each one of them.
The Flying Eagles lost their crown in Algeria and the Eaglets have not won this African title since after 2007, does that put any pressure on the team?
Without trying to sound boastful, I want you and Nigerians to wait and see us play in Morocco. We don’t have any pressure at all because we have prepared very well for the competition. We are warriors and we are going to do what we know how to do best. We are competitors, not mere participants.
Finally,what should Nigerians expect from the Golden Eaglets at the end of the African Junior Championship in Morocco?
You should expect to see a new Golden Eaglets playing exciting football, a team of warriors who won’t run away from any fight. We’ll respect every team but we won’t fear any. Every team is strong so we have to concentrate to win every game. You will enjoy the boys’ play, this I can guarantee. Let Nigerians just support us with prayers.
The trophy, any hope of it returning to Nigeria this time around?
Our first target is to qualify for the World Cup by reaching the semi finals. Then we’ll go for the Cup, by God’s grace.
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