29th April, 2013
The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, has warned the Golden Eaglets to be up and doing or they would be thrown out.
Smarting from the team’s runners-up finish at the 2013 CAF U-17 Championship, the NFF has categorically told the coaching crew not to condone any undisciplined conduct ahead of the 2013 World Cup in the UAE.
A statement from the team’s Media Officer, Morakinyo Abodunrin, quoted NFA’s Director of Technical, Emmanuel Ikpeme, as telling the coaching crew not to condone any indiscipline.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Eaglets had on Saturday lost 4-5 on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw in the final match of the CAF U-17 Championship.
They had lost to the Baby Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire, even though both sides joined two others in qualifying for the October event in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The Nigerian national under-17 men football team and the others had qualified after they reached the semi-finals of the CAF championship held in Morocco.
“As a Federation, we want to thank the coaching crew and the backroom staff for bringing these boys to this level, because qualifying for the World Cup as well as coming second was not a mean feat.
“But having said that, the NFA will not condone any act of irresponsibility from any player because we want to build a virile national team and this is the basis of all the national teams.
“I have been following the team for a very long time but I am not happy with the conduct of some players during the duel against Cote d’Ivoire where defender Izu Omego earned a red card,’’ Ikpeme said.
He, however, attributed the team’s loss on Saturday to indiscipline. “Personally, I won’t feel good without saying this because we threw away the opportunity of becoming African champions at this level due to irresponsible behaviour.
“Specifically, the issue of red card and the penalty kick really bothers everybody,’’ Ikpeme said.