U-20 World Cup: Emmanuel Banks On Experience

Nigerian U-20 striker Sani Emmanuel has said that with his experience and that of other members of the Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets of 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup hosted in Nigeria, who made the John Obuh’s team list to the World Youth Championship in Colombia, he is confident the Flying Eagles will not disappoint the country.

The S.S. Lazio of Italy striker stated that the team are determined and motivated to make the country proud at the tourney, reiterating that their level of training and Grade A tune up matches they were able to play would go a long way to help the technical team mould a strong team out of the squad.

“We don’t have any excuse not to put up a brilliant performance in Colombia because we went for training tours and played enough matches both home and abroad to put things in shape.

“After the disappointing lost in the final of the U-17 World Cup at our back yard, most of us that played in the tourney were able to secure some foreign deals with European clubs and we have been able to improve our games. This will help us at the World Youth Championship.

“We have matured and gained more experience that will be of immense use to the team when we file out against our opponents. We are not going to make the mistake we made last time because we have gained more experienced now than before,” he said.

The youngster played a prominent role in the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Many foreign clubs including Premiership giants Chelsea and Tottenham expressed interest in signing him, following his Golden Ball winning performance at the tourney.

The Flying Eagles have been drawn, in what looks like a fair group, with Croatia, Saudi Arabia and Guatemala as their first round opponents in Group D of U-20 World Cup.

Nigeria have made an African record eight appearances at the FIFA U-20 World Cup but never won the title which Ghana prides itself to be the only African country to win.

The closest the Flying Eagles got to winning the coveted trophy was in 1989; losing 2-0 to Portugal in the final in Saudi Arabia, and again 16 years later in the Netherlands, where Samson Siasia led flying Eagles lost 2-1 to a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina.

—Bamidele Olowosagba