AYC: F/Eagles’ Preparation Faces Setback

Nigeria’s U- 20 team,  the Flying Eagles, currently in Turkey preparing for the 2011 Orange Africa Youth Championship, AYC, are in dire straits as the kick-off date draws nearer.

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, has revealed that the team may soon find their preparations for the AYC difficult because of the switch in venue for the championship.

“The switch in venue has really affected our plans for the team,” Chairman of the NFF’s Technical Committee, Barrister Chris Green admitted to SuperSport.com.

“We had a budget for the team but now that the tournament will be moved, all our plans have been rubbished.

“Don’t also forget that the overseas camping (in Libya and Turkey) has been capital intensive. Arranging for the team to play friendly matches has been tough but we decided to spare no expense as we want the side to go places,” Green said.

The team, coached by John Obuh lost to a Ukrainian first division side on Monday in their latest tune up game in the European nation.

Green says the Flying Eagles have now taken shape and would get even stronger in the coming days.

Nigeria’s Olympic team will test their readiness for the challenges ahead with a warm-up match against the Moroccan counterparts, coach Augustine Eguavoen has told MTNFootball.com.

“Hopefully, the crisis in the Arab world will not affect the game since Morocco is not affected by this crisis. If it doesn’t, we will go to Morocco to honour this friendly,” Eguavoen disclosed.

However, the head coach of the National U- 23 team is piqued by the lack of training equipment for his team in the run-up to the All Africa Games qualifier against Equatorial Guinea in Benin City next month.

“By this time we shouldn’t lack anything like cones, bibs, mini goal posts and other things necessary for training,” Eguavoen told MTNFootball.com.

“If you play in a small sided game and you have to mark the goal post with cones, it doesn’t really make sense. Nigeria is so big in the game of football and we have to think seriously about this.

“We have been saying this even during the time of Berti Vogts, who asked for these basics equipment for training.

“These are little things that can make a big difference. I have been in Europe and it is not every time you play eleven against eleven, but at times, four against four, five against five, eight against eight and other tactical systems and stamina building like that.”

Meanwhile, Eguavoen’s assistant, Ben Iroha, has said Italy-based youngsters Obiorah Nwankwo and Joel Obi will figure in their plans for the Olympic team.

“They are players who have proved themselves in the Italian league with a massive club like Inter. When the time comes, Nigerians will see these players and other quality ones being introduced gradually into the team,” Iroha hinted.