U-17 World Cup: Eaglets In Group Of Death —Odigie

Former Chief Coach of Nigeria’s U-17 team, the Golden Eaglets, Monday Odigie, has described the group that the current team finds themselves at the FIFA U-17 World Cup, as a group of death.

Nigeria are pitched with Mexico, the defending champions, Iraq and Sweden in Group F. Odigie is of the view that the Eaglets will not find the group easy because other countries in the group would want to prove a point by beating the three times champions when the tournament gets underway between 17 October to 7 November in UAE..

Odigie, who is now the Chief Coach of Rangers International of Enugu, said that there are no longer minnows in football again,  hence the need for them not to underrate teams such as Iraq and Sweden, but be prepared for a tough duel in the group.

According to him, “the Eaglets’ group will not be easy at all. They should expect the unexpected because other countries are catching up in world football today.”

Assistant coach of the Eaglets, Nduka Ugbade, is however, upbeat that Nigeria would survive the tricky group and go ahead to do the country proud.

The former U-17 team’s captain said the Eaglets are well prepared to survive the group.

“I want to believe this is a fair draw for us and as you know, we have prepared very well to survive any team that come our way.

“Mexico are usually a very strong team at this level having being champions in two recent editions of the U-17 World Cup, but we are also a force to reckon with because we have won the tourney on three occasions,” he said.

“We are not going to underrate any team starting from our first game against Mexico, then the one against Iraq and Sweden who are making their first appearances,” Ugbade said.

—Adebobola Alawode & Bamidele Olowosagba