Nigerians Write Off ‘Fumbling’ F/Eagles

These are wasteful team! This was how some sports loving Nigerians described the Flying Eagles to the just concluded Algeria 2013 Africa Youth Championship, AYC, where they relinquished the title they won two years ago in South Africa.

The Coach John Obuh tinkered side settled for bronze, which earned them a ticket to the World Youth Championship, WYC the FIFA U-20 World Cup billed for Turkey in June this year.

The opinions of some Nigerians who spoke to P.M.NEWS Sports is that the entire team need total overhauling considering how they failed to convert many begging goal scoring chances that came their way. They warned Obuh and his team that the U-20 World Cup will be a different ball game to the AYC, hence they need to sit up.

With the six times African champions finding it hard to hold their own on the African continent, some stakeholders are of their views that the global challenge would pose a bigger threat for the team except fresh legs are injected into the team.

Nigeria’s history at the WYC is not encouraging with the country getting to the second position at the Holland 2005 tournament and the third position at the Saudi ‘89 tournament. Between 1999 and now, Nigeria could only manage to reach the quarter final stage of the World Cup.

Paired in Group B of Turkey 2013 with the Flying Eagles are Cuba, Portugal and South Korea and voices have continued to doubt the ability of the team to do well.

For ex-internationals such as Etim Esin and Moses Kpakor, the problem bedeviling the team is not technical, but shortcomings from the strikers, who failed to find the back of the net.

Esin stated that the failure of the Flying Eagles not to utilise the deluge of chances that came their way is not the fault of the technical crew, hence the need for the crew not to be sacked as being speculated.

According to Esin, “it wasn’t that the technical crew didn’t do their job, you don’t expect the coaches to step into the field of play to score, the coaches gave their players all they needed, but the strikers failed to perform.”

Kpakor argued that there is still room for improvement before the WYC kicks off in June, but the team must be fortify. “The WYC is not too far away, the coaching crew can beef up the team with some fresh legs especially the strikers,” Kpakor said

Tunde Disu, OFR, who took Nigeria to Saudi ‘89 tourney was speaking like a prophet of doom as he predicted that the 2013 set of the Flying Eagles will not go far in Turkey.

Disu, one of the directors of the Lagos Junior League, LJL said: “This team won’t do well at the World Cup if we’re to assess them with the standard exhibited at the AYC. It’s a far cry of a standard expected from the title holders.

“The World Cup is another kettle of fish compared with the African tourney. The World Cup is more professional where you meet teams that are tactically and technically sound. The antidote I proffer to avert an embarrassing World Cup outing is thorough overhaul of entire the team”.

The trio of former Super Eagles’ coach, Christian Chukwu, President General of Nigeria Football and other Sports Supporters’ Club, Rafiu Ladipo and former Eagles’ goalkeeper trainer, Joe Erico are of the views that Obuh should not be relieved of his duties with few weeks to the World Cup.

Chukwu, who is a member of the Technical Committee of Nigeria Football Federation, NFF said Obuh not likely to lose his job despite failing to retain the AY C trophy.

The former Sharks of Port Harcourt handler had come under series of criticism but Chukwu feels otherwise saying, “despite all the shortcomings of the team in Algeria, Obuh was able to meet NFF’s target of qualifying the country for the World Cup in Turkey. I don’t see him facing any sack because what was expected from him was to secure the World Cup ticket and he did it. Now is for us to look at the team and see where we can make any improvement for the challenges ahead of us in Turkey.”

Ladipo corroborated Chukwu’s stand calling on the NFF to provide technical assistance to the coaches to fortify the team.

Erico, however, expressed his satisfaction with what Coach Obuh was able to achieve at the AYC.

Erico believes that the AYC was an opportunity for Nigerians to take a look at the team and make their observations that could help the coaching crew add new players as they prepare for the WYC in Turkey.

“I am impressed with what our boys were able to achieve in Algeria. Though we expected a better performance from them, finishing third as the defending champions was not as bad as many people believe.”

—Adebobola Alawode & Bamidele Olowosagba